Be a Screen Door aka Don't Be Easily Offended
I love the picture that Ann Koskamp paints with Like the wind blows through a screen door, let blustry comments, stormy blasts just blow right past.
I listened to Michael Hyatt speak on offense and he shared 4 truths about it:
- Offenses are inevitable
- Satan intends offenses for our destruction
- God intends offenses for our good
- Being offended is a choice
Yes, being offended is a choice. In the world of texting/email/facebook/twitter, it is easier than ever to get offended by rude, incosiderate or uneducated comments.
Do people say stupid things? Yes, ALL day long. In fact, its quite possible I've offended you in one of these Peace posts....I can be a direct person and tend towards not sugar-coating things, which isn't always taken as its intended.
Honestly, the possibility of maybe offending someone almost stopped me before I even started. I don't think its possible to maintain a blog (or other means) where you share from your heart and NOT offend someone.
One thing to remember....and this is important...Peoples is peoples
Hyatt goes on to give four steps to Overcoming Offense:
1. Acknowledge that you were offended
2. Remind yourself you have a choice
3. Respond as God would respond
4. Forgive the other person, and let it go
3. Respond as God would respond
4. Forgive the other person, and let it go
I leave you with Voskamp's eloquent words
When you believe that everyone is always just doing their best, that we never war against flesh and blood but against the principalities, that in light of their own limitations, they truly are doing their best… this changes everything.
No. 1 on how to overcome offense comes easy to me, lol. It's 2-4 that I have trouble with. ;)
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