It seems like everybody these days is offended about something. It’s spreading across the country and no one is exempt from being targeted. Even our founding fathers are under attack, but it isn’t limited to them. Discovering our nation, economic development and prosperity all seem to be objects of their wrath. It doesn’t help that they tried to make things better or accomplished other great deeds. Who hasn’t said or done something offensive in their lifetime? We all need to forgive and be forgiven.
I understand our elected officials and leaders should be held to a higher standard, but this “Cancel Culture” seems to be rather selective as to who and what offends them. They demand justice for sexual exploitation (as they should) but let “their” candidate off the hook when he is the accused. Mistreatment of minorities is a call to action (as it should be), but they protect criminals who prey on their own people and attack the Police who try to stop them. They want freedom, but not for anyone who disagrees with them. We could be offended by them, but JESUS said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone” (John 8:7 KJV).
Unfortunately, this right to be offended has gotten into the Christian culture, but it is neither “right” nor Christian. If someone dares to offend us, we attack them with the WORD and shame them into submission, but the LORD says vengeance is mine; I will repay (Rom 12:19). Yes, we should be angry sometimes, but are we showing the same mercy JESUS showed us? Aren’t the broken people we are attacking the neighbors we are supposed to love as ourselves?
Sadly, offense has joined the Church. In this have-it-your-way society, if people don’t like what they hear, how they are treated, what they are told to do or not to do, they get offended and lash out. They tell anyone who will listen, who did what and how bad it hurt. Social media makes it easier to tell the world and to get revenge. Like other means of communication, it spreads anger, hatred and bitterness much more efficiently than corrections, apologies and forgiveness. Is that the love JESUS commanded us to show one another?
A more troubling problem is when people come against Pastors and Church leaders. GOD commanded “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm” (1 Chron 16:22 KJV). King David was so respectful of GOD’s anointed that he wouldn’t harm King Saul, even though Saul was clearly doing wrong. A man killed Saul, thinking King David would reward him, but instead, David killed him and mourned Saul’s death. So why aren’t Christians afraid to attack GOD’s anointed? Did all the talk about GOD’s love and mercy make people forget His correction? If GOD’s love and mercy doesn’t lead you to repentance, you may face His correction. If you are offended, please forgive. If you have touched GOD’s anointed, please repent and ask for forgiveness before GOD has to correct you.
Wayne Lance (2020)