Does This Offend You?

Does this offend you?
Some time ago, my then mother-in-law had prepared Christmas dinner. The main dish was a roast. Let's just say this roast was...well...extremely well done. (The men in the family prefer their beef very rare.) We sat down at the table and one of my nieces (about 7 years old) said; "Have you ever seen such an overdone piece of meat in your entire life?!" It was exactly what we were all thinking. Thankfully, the cook didn't hear her! I know she would have been highly offended.
Offenses can so easily come, most of which are unintentional. If we put more thought into our words we could potentially avoid offending someone. I feel awful when I realize I've said something that has caused an offense, most of the time; but there have been times when I have spoken the name of Jesus and instantly caused an offense, just by mentioning His Holy name! There have also been times when I have shared a scripture with someone and they have been highly offended. For example; John 14:6, "Jesus said to him; I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." It's not my desire to offend but to bless.
Sometimes I've sinfully held back words of Life, precious words of Life, because I didn't want to offend. Did I want to please man or please God? This would be my nightmare on Judgment Day: I'm standing across from someone I had the opportunity to speak to and with wailing and gnashing of teeth they ask me why didn't I tell them about Jesus. I feel sick at the thought.

Jesus was concerned with people hearing the words of life that they might hear and believe.

"As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven-not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever." These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?"
When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them; "Does this offend you?" What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (John 6:57-69)

Colossians 4:5-6
"Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one."

Lord, let us throw off all that binds us or causes us to hesitate in redeeming the time.

Dina Seaton serves in our Marketing department at America's KESWICK and is available to speak at your women's event. For information, contact Ruth Schmidt at rschmidt@americaskeswick.org