Offense
This week the thoughts that have come to my mind and heart are about offense. I used it as teaching for my kids this week in a couple of scenarios. This is a verse I have written about before, but it bears being heard over and over.
Psalm 119:165
King James Version
165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
This is how I learned the verse, but interestingly all the other translations are this (or something similar):
Psalm 119:165
English Standard Version
165 Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.
Psalm 119:165
Complete Jewish Bible
165 Those who love your Torah have great peace; nothing makes them stumble.
Nothing shall offend them... This is what struck me the first time I really read the verse. Really - NOTHING??? shall offend them? HOW???
Then I thought of Jesus and realized that He did not walk in offense. Yes, He was perfect, but we are to strive to be like Him, so...
The other translations say, "nothing can make them stumble." In many ways this is different, but it comes back to the fact that if we stumble that means we have taken offense. It means we have responded to someone in a way we should not have. It means that we have done something against what Torah (The Complete Word of God - which for me includes all Scripture) has taught us. It means we have not found our true identity in the Creator Who made us in His image.
It means we have not forgiven...
PEACE will come when we learn how to TRUST His teachings completely and follow them the best we can. Peace will come when we learn to FORGIVE those who hurt us. Will we make mistakes? Yes. However, HIS Peace transcends it all.
There is a spirit of offense flying throughout the earth today. It is frustrating. It hurts. It tears relationships apart. Walking in offense is bringing the narcissistic spirit and the "I'm right" and "I deserve" mentality to the world. When we cannot forgive, bitterness seeps in. Anger controls.
We need to FIGHT this spirit the best we can. We need to let things fall off our backs and release them. We need to KNOW, and find, our identity in the Creator Who LOVES us. We need to stop letting comments from others bring pain. We need to FORGIVE!
Find peace in HIS teachings and LOVE. Then use that LOVE to care for others. The world is full of hurting people. Find them and bless them with HIS love.
Love and blessings,
Rose
PS - To forgive doesn't mean you need to keep the person in your life. It simply means that you release the pain they caused you and place them in the hands of the Father.
