At the recent Catch the Fire Conference in Toronto, my pastor friend Duncan Smith made the statement that is the title of this post.

Offense is seldom given and always taken.

It took me some time to digest…and when I did, it dawned on me how true it really was.

The Lord reminded me of a time when Sulojana and I were ministering prophetically to a roomful of people. After the meeting ended, one of the people who received ministry wanted to talk to me.

I was quite excited to talk to her, because the general consensus was that she got the “best” words that evening. They were incredibly uplifting, encouraging and edifying. At least that’s what I thought, until she started talking.

She said that even though the words were very good and resonated with her spirit, she felt that I had implied that she had not been progressing as much as she already had in her walk with the Lord. And that hurt her very, very much.

Sulojana, who had been watching the conversation between the two of us, came to me afterwards and wondered what it was all about. When I shared with her the feedback I had received, she was just as bewildered as I was.

Clearly, offense had been taken where no offense was meant.

Dear friend, this is a reality that you and I need to be aware of. Correction, we need to accept it as a fact of life.

Even when you do not intend to cause offense, there is always the very real possibility that someone will take offense and be hurt.

Even Jesus had to deal with it.

In John 6, we read that Jesus had just finished delivering these words: “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁵⁵ For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. ⁵⁶ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.”

Granted this is not the most easily understood teaching of Jesus. He goes on to say: “This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

Upon hearing these words, we are told that some of his disciples (outside the circle of Twelve) took offense to them. They said: “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?” (John 6:60-61)

Did Jesus intend to offend them? Obviously not! Yet, they took offense. Watch how he handles it.

He does not dwell on it. He does not retaliate. He does not defend Himself. He is saddened by it. Listen to these poignant words with which He addresses the chosen dozen: “You do not want to leave too, do you?”

Have you ever run into a similar situation? How did you handle it? If you got offended in return, perhaps now is the time to confess and ask forgiveness.

If you haven’t had to go through such an experience yet, I’ve got news for you. As long as you have family, as long as you have co-workers and neighbours, as long as you are part of a church…you will, sooner or later.

When it happens, don’t be shocked! Because, offense is seldom given and always taken.

Jesus would concur.