Do people want to go out to eat with you?

Advent Meditations “Forgiveness”

Years ago, I served on a very large staff, and one thing we’d do to build community would be to go out to eat together every week after a staff meeting.

Off we’d go, sporting our church staff apparel.

The lunches became quite uncomfortable after the addition of one staff member. It seemed that “offended” was his middle name. What was worse was we were representing the “church.” No wonder folks don’t want to have anything to do with “Christians.”

“You took too long to seat us.”

“This table is in an area that is way too noisy.”

“This fork looks smudged. I don’t think it is clean.”

“This isn’t cooked correctly.”

“This is all the food you are going to give me? I’m not complaining, but . . .”

Every week it was a different complaint. There ALWAYS was something wrong, something that didn’t measure up to his standards!

After a while, other staff members started having reasons they couldn’t make the “staff lunch” anymore.

The unpleasantness of the one individual permeated the atmosphere, and lunch was anything but fun and building community.

Everyone was always walking on eggshells, fearfully waiting to see what and how he would be offended that day.

An offense is a certainty.

Being offended is a choice.

Guess what?!? People will always be doing things that we wish would be a little different, whether at a public place of business or in relationships. No one and nothing is perfect, so an offense is a certainty.

But . . . being offended? It is a choice!

We CHOOSE to be offended.

Have you ever known someone that just looked for others to offend them?

Do they thrive on having something to complain about?

Are you that person?

How easily offended are you?

As followers of Jesus, we should be the least likely to be offended people EVER.

Because he was.

Let’s do a little introspection today and see . . . how easily are we offended?

Changing that to a lesser amount will be a way to usher in some peace to our lives, our relationships, and ultimately – the world will be a better place.

Grace and Peace,

Andrea