Offenses Will Come

Matthew 18:7 tells us that offenses will inevitably come. And as believers, at times it can feel like the world has it out for us. Because offenses are unavoidable they can happen anywhere: among friends, in marriages, with our families, at church, and even at work.

During Day 1 we discussed that we are all marketplace ministers, personally commissioned by Jesus to make disciples everywhere we go. But if we are carrying an offense, it can feel like a weight and become a distraction from the work that God has set before us.

Maybe you got passed up for a promotion over a coworker who (you feel) is less qualified for the role. Maybe someone you considered a work friend spread an awful and untrue rumor about you. It's justifiable to have an ought. But as a believer, how we handle it makes all the difference.

Romans 12:18 admonishes us to live peaceably with all men, but this doesn't mean that we allow offenses to fester. We choose to forgive as Colossians 3:13 tells us. There's also a special case for believers talked about in Matthew 5:23–24 — leave your gift, reconcile with your brother or sister, and then offer your gift. Obviously, in the workplace, you won't be leaving an offering for God, but you might encounter other Christ-followers at work and you could feel offended by them.

If nothing else, we have to remember that stumbling blocks like being offended are part of this world. Being proactive about not bringing offense and quickly reconciling with others when we are offended will help us stay unoffendable marketplace ministers.