Just kidding about the title. I can't even keep up at the new things that come out every day that are deemed offensive. Sometimes it feels like people go out of their way to find something to get upset over. You can try your hardest to be accommodating to everyone, but you'll still end up offending at least someone.
Blessed is the one who is not offended by me. -Jesus in Matthew 11:6
This was written in a time of history where Rome was baffled by Jesus, and the Pharisees were offended at the thought that Jesus was claiming to be the son of God. They believed that was absolutely blasphemous. Some even claimed that his power came from Beelzebub. The time in history this was written may have been generations past, but people are the same. It reminds me of traveling all over the US. The locations may be varied, but when it comes down to it, people are the same. Every location will have its liberals and conservatives, although the percentage might vary greatly. There will be your naturally welcoming people, and those who are more closed off. You will always have your wealthy and you poor. You'll have those that are friendly and those who are suspicious. Oh, and shocking, I know, but there are rednecks all over the United States, not just in the south.
Anyway, I can only imagine how offended people would become at the thought of Jesus while he was actually walking on the earth. He wasn't what the Jews were expecting when they thought of the Messiah, and so people either got angry and defensive, or just assumed that he had gone crazy. In today's society, if you just mention that you believe in Christ, many people will immediately judge you as being a homophobic bigot with a low IQ. Fortunately I know enough about myself to say none of those statements are true about me or many of the christians I know. There will be exceptions to the rule of course, but I try to surround myself with people whose main goal is to become closer to Christ. Those people who continue to follow the Lord, even when life doesn't turn out the way they imagined. The kind of people who thirst for the truth and don't mind being ostracized from the world. We don't belong in this world anyway. We are just passing through on a journey to our real home.
Jesus never promised us an easy life. In fact, he did pretty much admit that if we choose to follow him, life will be hard. But you know what, "We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation." Romans 5:3-4 So all those struggles aren't in vain. They are producing resilience in us. The ability to stand firm when the world around us shakes and when we are ridiculed for our believe in Christ. James actually says, "Consider it pure joy when you encounter trials, because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance." James 1:3
If someone is offended by your belief in Christ, shrug it off. It says more about them than it does about you. Pray for them. The further we head into the future, the more Jesus will be seen as a fable. He already is, but I know it is going to continue to increase. I often feel fortunate to live in the 'bible belt,' because I have yet to experience mocking directly to my face. But contrary to popular believe in my little town, there are ::gasp:: churches outside of the bible belt as well. (I have heard more than one ignorant sermon claiming California and Oregon have no churches. Having been to both, I can vehemently deny those claims.)
We live in such a clown world, where good is offensive, and evil is considered good. The more you try to do the right thing, the more someone will be offended. The more you try to live a radical life for Christ, the more you will come across as a lunatic to the world. You will become censored for your 'offensive' beliefs.
I don't care, and I hope and pray you don't either. Whatever we experience in this life will be more than worth what awaits on the other side.
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