offended

Sometimes, there’s nothing you can do to keep people from being offended. 

Mark 6:1-6 tells of a time when Jesus went home: “Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

“‘Where did this man get these things?’ they asked. ‘What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?’ And they took offense at him.”

Jesus’ old friends and the people who knew him took offense at his teaching and miracles. At words of truth, and amazing acts of help and service. How can that be?

I think we put people in boxes at an early age - we identify and define them in certain ways, and pigeonhole them as certain types. Then, when they do or become something different, we say they’re getting a big head. An old term was putting on airs. “Stop acting like a big shot,” we think. “Get back in your place.” And their growth and contribution can offend us, especially if we haven’t been growing ourselves. Yet, isn’t growth a key part of a faithful life?

This is essentially the root of racism - feeling threatened that people won’t “stay in their place.” But it’s also why it’s hard for preachers and teachers to work with old class mates, or politicians to gain the trust of older people who watched them grow up.

And, I think, it’s why it can be so hard for some kinds of Christians to be active in church life, especially in leading and teaching roles. Women, young people, new believers - these are all types of people we’ve kept from ministry leadership in the past, and still hold back to some extent. 

On reflection, I’m surprised at how often I take offense at a brother or sister who’s doing God’s work. And I’m discouraged at what it says about the state of my heart and faith.