"OFFENSIVE"

Have you ever offended someone? Let me tell you…..I certainly have. I have been told more than once in my life that my personality alone is offensive to some. I guess because I’m a Pastor’s wife I have been stereotyped in the “quiet, off to myself, Suzie Homemaker, Betty Crocker, Proverbs 31 woman.” However, I do not fit that mold in any way. I am who I am. As a matter of fact, I am who God made me to be. Anyway…….I have found that many times in my life I have inadvertently offended someone with something I’ve said or done. I can fully understand that when it comes to my personality or something I might have said. I know how I am. Sometimes I don’t always think before I speak and as the words are spilling out of my mouth my brain is telling me that I shouldn’t be saying what I’m saying. But……….I’m not as multifunctional as most think…..the words are sometimes like a waterfall and you can’t turn that off, it just continuously flows and just because my brain is thinking it sometimes it takes a little effort to stop the flow. It’s not those times I’m talking about though. That’s a work in progress every day. I’m talking about those times when we offend someone because we have shared scripture with them; the Word of God. We have tried to witness to them and they take it offensively. Our words sometimes condemn people and cut them to the quick and most of the time it’s not effective. But, you can be assured if you offend someone using the scripture, you have done nothing wrong. The Word of God speaks for itself and it is used for correction and reproof. It is meant to “cut like a knife!” Sometimes depending on the offense, we can get cut pretty deep. But God would rather cut us and cause us to turn back from our sin than to deliver a fatal stab. He loves us more than we could ever imagine. He is our “Heavenly Father” and He knows what is best for us. He protects us in every way He can so as not to mar us permanently. He gives correction through His word and if we listen, we will learn. If not, then we are foolish!

“Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but one who hates correction is foolish.”
Proverbs 12:1