I am OFFENDED!

I was at the laundromat with my husband and the dryer kept "eating" my quarters. I told the attendant who brushed me off saying, "I don't believe you put 5 quarters in there". Because there is a difference in our races and language, I assumed she was just being racist. Indignant, I told her in two languages - you're calling me a liar? I don't need to steal $1.25! You don't know me!!"

I did get my money back from the now-startled attendant (if she were deaf I would have told her off in three languages!) My poor husband was calming me down as we went out the door, my indignation still rising. I was immediately aware of two things: One, that I had in fact been insulted and judged by a stranger and second, that my reaction to this offense also said something about me.

1 Peter 2:19 says, "For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God." Well, I have to say that God-Consciousness was not my state of being once the woman started to question my honesty. Linda-Consciousness and the defense of my own person-hood kicked in: That's O.K., Lord. I'll take it from here. "..if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God."  [Does this mean she gets to keep my quarters?]

It gets worse: "When they hurled insults at him [Jesus], he did not retaliate.."  Just stand there and allow myself to be slandered in front of a laundromat full of people?
Of course it's much deeper than that. Part of this God consciousness Peter is exhorting us to have is the willingness to do what Jesus did "entrusting himself" to God. There's the "t" word: Trust.

When I'm mistreated it sometimes works out that I get my money back or the cosmos exact some kind of revenge on the offender. But most often it's a game of - trust God to make the next move. It's His to make. That brings me to question whether I trust Him at all.

Author John Bevere calls offense "The Bait of Satan". It's easy to see why. No other trigger brings out the greatest sin - pride - like being offended. And who doesn't get offended; Mistreated? Unjustly accused? Victimized or violated? Just plain wronged? In our culture the highest ideal is to be treated with dignity, self worth, tolerance, etc. Nothing in our culture makes such treatment a guarantee or even a realistic goal half the time.

Jesus knew all this when He laid down His life for us, and taught us the example of turning the other cheek or blessing those who curse us or praying for our abusers. He would never have asked something of us that He was not going to help us to do. The One who calls you is Faithful and He will do it.. - 1 Thessalonians 5:24.

God HELP me to get low enough to bow in the face of opposition and offense; Help me not to take the bait - that worm called "offense" and go down like Moby Dick. And...bless that misinformed woman as she performs her backbreaking duties for what must be very small change, indeed. Forgive me for not trusting You to be my endless supply. Amen.