A pastor at my church told us a story and I will edit it and give you a similar story here. In her story, a married couple named Sin and Wickedness were operating a convenience store and trying to get people to buy their products. Some of these products included porno addictions, some of these products included murder, some of these products included greed, some of these products included jealousy and other products included bitterness, resentment, fear, anxiety, worry, distrust, self-hatred or abuse. However, Sin and Wickedness were upset because they weren’t making enough sales at their shop. Then they called their son Doubt into the store and Doubt said he had the perfect solution to this problem: They needed to hire their friend Offense into the shop to help them increase sales. Offense was not actually a human being, like Sin and Wickedness or Doubt, instead Offense was more like a rat who stole the fruit of whoever he was with. Since Offense was a rat who robbed and not a human being who took years to mature, Offense multiplied as quickly as cancer cells.
I have the solution said Doubt, who was the son of Sin and Wickedness, give them the sons of Offense for free. When the offspring of offense are given for free, the humans will buy all the other products like crazy. It’s a lot like serving spicy food at a restaurant and than charging people obscenely high amounts for liquids when their throats are parched. So Sin and Wickedness got to work and they began to give offense to all their customers for free – within weeks – they had tripled and quadripled their sales because when you give offense – all the other sins come along for free. Once offense came for free, the people began to pay money for jealousy, hate, bitterness, pride, anger, resentment, adultery, theft, bitterness, hatred, wrath, dishonesty. Offense multipled their sales like crazy!
Now here is the point of my message. There are 4 areas of offense that you need to be on your guard against.
1. Offenses will come that attack your personhood. Examples include abusive parents, abusive partners, abusive friends, abusive teachers, abusive bosses, abusive co-workers, slanderous enemies. Resolve ahead of time – not to let these opponents curb your sense of grace or style of kindness and goodwill and let God deal with their misdemeanors.
2. Offenses will come that attack your emotional and mental possessions. After you work 14 hour days – they will judge you for being lazy. After you are brutally molested – they will say you’ve never met real evil before. After you get a hundred in a course – they will say your too stupid for college. After you donate $8000 they will say you are greedy. They will attack the mental and emotional possessions you have in your mind – the things you take pride in – the things you believe strongly in – the things you are determined and jealously defending. You must learn not to fight those battles. The enemy is trying to get you riled up but if you start fighting for your right to claim your mental and emotional possessions – you will be allowing your enemies to control where you heart, time and energy is expended. Don’t let your haters control you by making or forcing you to worry about the things they are trying to make you worry about. Forgive those who attack your possessions.
3. Offenses will come that attack your relationships. They will tell you that you partner’s friends or family are stealing his time from you. They will tell you that your reputation is being threatened. They will tell you that your friends or family or church will stop loving you if you don’t control a certain opponent that you have – they will tell you that those who don’t like you are trying to separate you from those you love by mingling with your friends and turning them against you. Once again – don’t fight it – let nature take its course. You must win honor rather than fighting for it. You might not win every battle but you will be happier over all if you let your actions speak for themselves rather than letting evil, wicked people threaten the trust and love you have among your allies and friends.
4. Offenses will come that attack your dreams. They will tell you that you can’t be a movie star because an ex-boyfriend scarred your face. They will tell you that you can’t be a doctor because your alcoholic parents spent your tuition dollars on their crack habit. They will tell you that you can’t get married because your parents have abused you so much that you don’t know how to relate to others. They will tell you can’t have the job you want, because a corrupt judge gave you a faulty criminal record for a crime you didn’t commit 2 decades ago. When this happens – as it might happen to a few if not all unfortunate people – you have to remember that your commitment to God transcends the commitment you have towards your desires on earth. David spent 22 years running from a serial killer and became king. Joseph spent 20 years in prison and became king. Jesus spent 3 days on a cross and became the judge of the entire world. God will answer you in his time and not in yours. Don’t start fighting your battles on the ground floor. Jesus said – store up your treasures in heaven and not on earth – with a promise that if your treasure is heavenly – old age, sickness, robbery and theft will not be able to diminish the love you have the happiness in your heart or the things you live for and base your life on.
In conclusion
1. Set it in your heart not to get offended when people attack your personhood
2. Set it in your heart not to get offended when people attack your possessions
3. Set it in your heart not to get offended when people attack your relationships
4. Set it in your heart not to get offended when people attack your dreams
Then as Jesus said “your reward will be great and you will be called sons of the most high.”
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