Video Transcript: Offense is a Trap – But for Whom?

Let's review the progression of offense that we discussed in the last lecture.  

• We perceive wrongdoing

• We elevate our self-interest

• We judge the perceived wrongdoer and then 

• we justify our righteous judgment

In conflict wildfires, we do not have to take offense every time someone wrongs us.  When we do take offense, the wildfire is controlling our emotions and our thoughts because our focus is on self and the offender rather than the Peacefire.  

Jesus warns us to stay clear of offence.  First, He warns us against causing an offense.  In Matthew 18 He said, “If anyone causes one of these little ones, those who believe in Him, to stumble, or to be offended, or to sin, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.  Woe of the world because of the things that cause offense.  Such things must come but woe to the person through whom they come.”  

The wildfire thrives on offense but at the Peacefire, we avoid intentionally offending others.  That doesn't mean we won't cause offence unintentionally.  But we are taught by the Lord, to not engage in intentionally offending others and recognize that we all cause offence from time to time, and when we do, the Lord provides a remedy of His mercy and His forgiveness, and we bring that offense to the Peacefire and we follow the Lord's instruction which we will cover in future lectures.  So first, Jesus warns us against causing offence.  Second, Jesus warns us about taking offense.  

He continues in Matthew 18, “If your hand or your foot offends you cut it off, throw it away.  It's better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.  And if your eye offends you, gouge it out and throw it away.  It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.”

Jesus is using strong hyperbole here to emphasize the importance of not staying offended.  The New Testament is written in the Greek language.  The Greek word that is translated offense in Matthew 18 is pronounced skandalon in the Greek.  Now one of the root meanings of that word refers to the bait stick of a trap.  And so you can see why Jesus is using the strong language He uses of cutting something off.  It’s consistent with being caught in a trap.  Because if you're caught in that trap, whatever's got you there - something you did with your hands someplace you went with your foot, something you're looking at with your eye - cut it off, gouge it out, get out of that situation.  Don't stay offended.  In Matthew 18, Jesus use strong visual language, hyperbole, to emphasize the importance of staying free from the trap of offense.  

Now in the earthly kingdom, in the wildfire, we think the person who caused the offense is in the wrong and it justifies us being offended.  Now, it's not to say that that person isn't wrong.  They are wrong for causing offence, just as the Lord said, “Don't cause offense.”  But in the wildfire, we indulge the right to stay offended.  We feel justified in holding the offense against the offender until justice is served.  But Jesus taught that it's the person who takes offense who's at risk of being caught in the trap of offense.  He said whatever causes you to take offense, something you did with your hand, someplace you went with your feet, something you looked at with your eye, cut it off and get out of that trap.  

We don't think about taking offense this way because it feels so right when we take offense.  Isn't that right?  Someone offends you.  You can justify taking offense.  You can rationalize it.  You can explain your position of why what they did is so offensive.  And so we don't like to think about putting ourselves in a trap when it feels so justifiable.  But when we take offense, we are not where we are supposed to be.  No matter how right it feels.  When we take offense, our focus is on the wildfire and we will remain in that trap if we keep our focus there.  Judging, justifying and serving our own self-interest.  But if we turn our focus to the Peacefire, to Jesus Christ, we can avoid the trap of offense and deal with the wrongs that are done to us in a way that ignites new possibilities to transform our conflict stories.  

Let's review the notes of this lecture.  

• We do not have to take offense, every time someone wrongs us.  

• When we do take offense, our focus is on the wildfire, not the Peacefire.  

• Jesus said that offenses will come.  

• Jesus taught against intentionally offending others.  

• Jesus taught that we should not stay offended.  

• Offense is a trap.  It traps the person who takes offense, not the person who caused the offense.

• And when we take offense, we're not where we're supposed to be.  

Thanks for watching this lecture.  God bless you.  We'll see you next time.