How Offended Were You On Easter?

You should have been...

We try too hard to make sure people aren't offended these days. I was reading about a new position at publishing companies, sensitivity editor. They read your manuscript and edit it to make sure you don't offend a certain group, target demographic, etc. They change the story to make sure it's nice and palatable.

The problem is, that doesn't work. If you have a story that will truly resonate with someone at some level they will be offended. If you love someone with your whole heart at some point you will offend them. The story of Jesus offends, it has to. If I'm not offended by it something is wrong. I am a sinner, I am in need of a Savior, death was the only way to make me whole, God loves me so much He would do this all for me, all of these statements are offensive. I'm not as good as I think I am, I'm not as self-sufficient as I want to me, I don't like Someone had to die, I don't deserve this love.

It's a fine line we need to walk as those who love Jesus and others. We need to lovingly offend people. We can't back away from sharing Jesus with others because they might be offended. We just can't.

Paul couldn't.
"If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended." (Galatians 5:11b, NLT)

Jesus couldn't. After teaching:
Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you?" (John 6:61 NLT)

I am offended by the Easter story. And that's not a problem with the story, that's a problem with me. And I will offend others with the same story. I'm okay with that, are you?

T