In any relationship, you’ll have the chance to believe the best and forgive the rest….to refuse take offense. Employee/boss, parent/child, or husband/wife….it doesn’t matter, you’ll always have the choice to take the bait of offense or leave it there to spoil. The bible challenges us to “overlook” an offense, or to “cover over” an offense. The world and our flesh wants to make the most of an offense. When we feel offended the world says “get it out” the Word says cover it. Our flesh makes us want to magnify and justify feeling offended, the Word instructs us to minimize it.
Proverbs 17:9
Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
Proverbs 19:11
A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.
It’s to your GLORY to overlook an offense. Your glory?… Yes, you will be praised(gloried) by the Almighty for overlooking an offense, and it shows your wisdom and patience to do so.
The world says, “you deserve to be mad”, the Word says “overlook it to show your wisdom and patience”. Wow! that’s tough sometimes, but every time I’ve decided to believe the Word and act on it, I’ve been blessed. Especially as it relates to taking offense….I’ve decided to think the best and forgive the rest.
Thank you, Lisa, for sharing God’s wisdom and Word during a time of the year when old hurts – or offenses – tend to resurface, distracting us from the love and brilliance of God’s grace through Jesus’ birth.
You are sooo welcome! May the Lord bless you with the peace of Christ that it may reign in your heart so completely, it will crowd out the hurts….until only peace remains.