When They Hurt Someone You LoveSample

DAY THREE - BORROWED OFFENSE

It’s so easy to get offended on someone else’s behalf and then harbor unforgiveness. We’ll hear a story and immediately jump on the bandwagon of how unfair that was and who we’re mad at.

Nancy’s Story (and mine too!): I remember one time a friend told me how she was serving at the information booth at church when a well-known singer (who attended the church) came up to ask a question.

She answered him quickly and politely, but he was short with her and walked off without saying thank you or acknowledging her in any way.

She was miffed about it and after she told me, I was miffed about it too! I had always liked this singer’s music, but after what she told me I didn’t enjoy his music as much. Every time I heard him sing, I’d think, “Man, he’s not very nice to people.” Eventually, I stopped listening.

One day I heard him on the radio, and I started to turn it off when the Lord arrested me. He said, “You’re harboring unforgiveness against that man for something someone else told you. You weren’t there, Karen, and you don’t know what happened. Besides that, you don’t know what he was going through that day.”

Oh my gosh, that was all true! I’d fallen into offense without even considering the other person’s side. I’d let it ruin my love for this singer’s music and believed the worst about him just from a story I’d heard.

The devil is so sneaky! I didn’t even realize that I was harboring unforgiveness until the Lord pointed it out to me. It didn’t take me long to repent and forgive. Then thankfully, I went back to enjoying that singer’s music, and I also learned a valuable lesson about forgiving people who had hurt my friends.

Now I try to consider the other person’s side, and not believe the worst about someone from a story I’ve heard. I also try not to define someone by their worst moments. What if we were quick to forgive those and give people the benefit of the doubt?

Taking on someone else’s unforgiveness is a trap, pure and simple. Keeping our hearts free is a big enough job for anyone without taking on someone else’s offense!