The spirit of offense is rampant in the world, but we are called to be in the world and not of it. It’s important that we are not intentionally offensive or easily offended. It can ruin our witness.

‘Love is not rude or touchy,’ Corinthians 13:5 says.

Often when someone is easily offended, they assume that others are rude, even when they are not. Offense springs from a spirit of pride and rebellion. It causes one to think, “Don’t tell me what to do or how to do it,’ or ‘I deserve for you to do this or that for me the way I think it is best.’ Offense happens when we are thinking more highly of ourselves then we ought to. (Romans 12:3)

Because God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble, it is well worth our time to examine our lives for any offense. I don’t know about you, but I definitely do not want to find myself being opposed by God!

We should be the easiest people in the world to get along with, as far as it depends on us. Not doormats or codependents, but people that can follow instructions, even if we would do things differently. We are called to be people that believe the best of others, and seek to see things from other people’s perspective, instead of always insisting that others line their thinking up with ours.

The doctrine of entitlement and favor was never meant to encompass the attitude that believes other people owe us. We are to be looking to God to meet our needs, according to His riches and glory in Christ, and allow Him elbow room to do so as He sees fit.

Pride, rebellion, insecurity and offense are not helpful and will absolutely keep people from entering the promised land of abundant life here in the earth.