Blessed are the Un-Offended

Warning: This article might offend you. Stop reading if you are offense-prone.

Much of pleasing people, is compromised of hollow encouragements. If I want you to like me,  I should say things that please you, right? Isn’t that how the world’s wheels go?

If we hear something we don’t like, aren’t we quick to say we’re offended? If we’re encouraged, good! If we’re warned, we’re offended. 

The world views it this way:  Encourage people and you’re this inspirational guru. Warn people and you’re  this KJ digital preacher. What easily offended people have we become.

We are the generation that can’t swallow what seems to be a bitter pill of Truth. Only to find out, it’s the very same Truth that makes life sweet and freeing. 

It’s no rocket science, we know that healthy individuals seek holistic nutrition.

We need not the extremity of one thing,  But a good balance of many  things. We need a mix of both – encouragement and warning.

If we encourage people only,  we might run loose to the edge of having a puffed head.

“Look at me, I’m needy, I need attention, I need your encouragement.”

If we warn people only, we might drift towards hardness and complacency. 

And in retaliation, say “You don’t understand me, you’re not hearing me out, you don’t care about what I care.”

We need both. Encouragement gives us a nudge towards the right direction, and warning keeps us off the wrong path. 

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These COVID-times are exposing us to a lot of things, not just the virus. Crises have a way of revealing what has long been there. It exposes us. Here are:

Four Offending (but also liberating) truths:

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1. The crisis shall sift the church

CASUAL SUNDAY GOERS VS EVERYDAY DISCIPLE

The sifting will show stark contrasts between  those who are the casual Sunday goers versus the Everyday Disciple. The Sunday goer shall be prim and proper once a week, but the everyday disciple habitually wears what he ought to be wearing, and gets rid of those he no longer needs (1 Peter 5:5), daily taking up his cross (Matthew 16:24).

WORLD-IMMERSED VS WORLD-ENGAGED

The sifting will reveal who are the World-immersed versus the World-engaged. For the world-immersed shall abandon the faith like Demas- “lover of this present world” ( 2 Tim 4:10); but the world-engaged may be IN the world, but one who does not live like he is OF the world. He lives as salt and light.

FEELINGS-BASED VS COVENANT-BASED

The sifting will exhibit who are those who run with tanks fuelled by feelings versus those who run with tanks fuelled by informed love (obedience based on commitment because of love; covenant).

Those fuelled by feelings are like those with unstable minds- tossed to and fro (James 1:6).  And those who run on informed love, having a sound mind and sober spirit, come out as gold (Job 23:10) after such crisis. 

2. Warning to the cold and complacent

HEAVEN IS REAL, AND SO IS HELL. (Mic drop here, let eternity compel you, friend)

LOVE MEANS OBEDIENCE TO HIS COMMANDS.

John 14:15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” It is hard to say you love God, but explicitly disobey Him. 

YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE. (May sound scary, but trust me, we need this)

Because God is just, there is a day of reckoning, words will be weighed and deeds shall be accounted. He is an accurate and a righteous judge.  “So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.” -Roman 14:12. Also, judgment starts in the house of God (1 Peter 4:17)

3. Encouragement to the steadfast

• Persevere because your hope is real.  (Hebrews 11:1)
• Continue because your Shepherd is reliable. (Psalms 23)
• Serve because your Christ is King. (Hebrews 12:2) 
• Lead because your Lord sees and rewards. (1 Peter 5:4)

4. Warning & Encouragement to the sinner

• “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” – Acts 3:19 (NIV)

“I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” – Luke 15:7 (NIV)

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“And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” – Jesus (Matthew 11:6)