Unoffendable
Unoffendable
When a person lives life without constantly being concerned about what someone else is or is not doing, they spend a lot less time being offended.
To always be concerned with another's motives or actions is not a calling.
Paul, as an apostle of Jesus, learned this lesson well.
Philippians 1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.
Paul could rejoice that Jesus was being preached regardless of one's motive for doing so. Therefore, Paul could not be offended that some of those preaching were doing so with wrong motives and even in an effort to get back at him.
Jesus, in His wisdom, understood something as well that allowed Him to rest, even though there might have been others seeking to grab some glory for themselves.
Mark 9:38 Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is on our side.
The primary issue at hand in both matters is whether Jesus is being preached and represented as good. Getting caught up in another person's motives is setting oneself up as judge and jury. Those who engage in such practices often seem to live with a sense of offense over something.
John the Baptist was in prison, awaiting his death, and sent his disciples to inquire of Jesus whether He was the One.
Luke 7:22 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. 23 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
There are things about Jesus and His graciousness and goodness that can easily offend religious intolerance. In John's case, it appears that he might have been trying to ensure he hadn't wasted his efforts and was being made to suffer needlessly. Nevertheless, while he was being made to suffer for taking a stand against sin, Jesus was becoming more and more popular for healing the sick, making the blind see, the deaf hear, and the lame walk, and even raising the dead. John was about to be put to death, and Jesus was gaining ground in the popularity of His ministry at that moment and time.
Whenever we allow comparison to enter and feel that we are fading into the background, thus beginning to question the validity of the ministry of others who are seemingly more popular than ourselves, we are in a dangerous place of being easily offended. Being dead to ourselves and alive unto God is our escape from being easily offended.
