And so said he unto the disciples, Information technology is impossible simply that offences will come.…
— Luke 17:1

Every so often, anybody has an opportunity to become offended. In fact, Jesus said, "…It is impossible but that offences volition come…" (Luke 17:1). The word "impossible" is the word anendektos, meaning something that is impossible, inadmissible, unallowable, or unthinkable. One scholar notes that it could be translated, "It is simply unthinkable that y'all would permit yourself to dream that y'all could live this life without an opportunity to become offended.…"

But what is an criminal offence? The word "criminal offence" comes from the Greek word skandalon, from which nosotros get the word scandal. This is a powerful picture that you lot must understand! The discussion skandalon originally described the modest piece of woods that was used to keep the door of an animal trap propped open. A slice of food was placed inside the trap to lure the animal inside. When the brute entered the trap and accidentally bumped the skandalon, or the minor piece of wood, the skandalon collapsed, causing the trap door to slam close and the brute to be caught within with no fashion to escape.

However, the New Testament as well uses the word skandalon to refer to a stone or an obstacle that caused 1 to trip, to stumble, to lose his ground, to waver, to stammer, and to autumn down. In Offset Peter ii:8, the word skandalon is used to depict how unbelievers react to the Gospel when they don't want to hear information technology or believe it. Peter said, "And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the give-and-take…." Rather than accept the message and be saved, these people stumble when they hear the truth, tripping over the message that could set them free.

But in Luke 17:1, Jesus used the word skandalon to warn united states almost events that happen in life with the potential to trip us up. Sometimes Satan baits us with something — drawing us into a trap in which he knows we'll get offended. When we bump into a moment of offense, the trap slams down close — and like an animal that is trapped in a cage and tin can't become out, we of a sudden find ourselves caught in a miserable situation, trapped in detrimental and negative emotions!

This means Luke 17:1 could be translated:

"It is just unthinkable that you would allow yourself to dream that y'all could live this life without an opportunity to be lured into a state of affairs that could potentially snare you in the feelings of offense.…"

If this is really what Jesus meant, we need to know the nature of the bait Satan uses to get to united states. What is the "offense" the devil uses to trap most people?

An crime usually occurs when you see, hear, or experience a behavior that is so different from what you expected that it causes you to stammer, totter, and wobble in your soul. In fact, you are so stunned by what you lot have observed or by a failed expectation that you lot lose your footing emotionally. Before you know it, you lot are dumbfounded and flabbergasted most something. So your shock turns into atheism; your disbelief into disappointment; and your disappointment into offense.

We've all experienced this kind of disappointment at some point in our lives. According to Jesus' words in Luke 17:one, the opportunity to exist offended comes to every one of united states. As long as we alive and breathe, nosotros must combat this nuisance and refuse to let it to take a place in our hearts and minds. Even worse, we've all been the source of offense at some point or another. It may not take been intentional on our part; in fact, we may non have even known nosotros offended anyone until the person afterwards came and informed usa of what nosotros did.

In light of all this, I'd like yous to consider these questions:

  • Take yous always offended someone?
  • When you found out well-nigh the cause of criminal offence, were yous shocked?
  • When the news finally reached you that you had offended that person, were you surprised to hear how he or she perceived what you did or said?

Through the years, I've learned to do the best I can to avoid beingness a source of offense to anyone. At the same time, I effort non to exist besides shocked if I discover out that someone, somewhere, has gotten offended. Considering people come up from different backgrounds, wake upward in bad moods, have a bad solar day at work, don't physically experience well, and go through a whole host of other negative experiences in their lives, their interpretation of our actions and words may be very different from our original intention.

We can exist almost 99-percentage certain that someone forth the manner will misunderstand what we practice or misinterpret something we say. Therefore, as Christians, we must: i) practice everything in our power to communicate correct messages to one some other; and 2) exercise everything in our power to bring healing and restoration whenever misunderstanding and offense occurs between ourselves and someone else.

If you observe that you accept been a source of law-breaking to someone else, take the mature path and go ask that person to forgive you lot. And don't become defensive, for that will only brand the problem worse. Information technology may fifty-fifty lead to a deeper conflict, so just say y'all are pitiful and move on!

Do everything yous can to bury that criminal offence and destroy what the devil is trying to do between you. Brand it your personal aim to help that other person overcome what he thinks you did or said. Sometimes it is more important to help the other person accomplish a position of peace than it is to prove who is correct or wrong!

sparking gems from the greek

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I desire to apologize for ever being a source of crime to anyone. I am request You lot to forgive me for fighting to prove my signal in the by when I should take only gone to that other person and apologized, asking for his forgiveness. If I e'er find out I've offended someone again, please help me deal with it more maturely than I have in the by. Jesus, I also need You to help me remember that when others practice things that make me lamentable or that disappoint me, they probably didn't mean to do it. Help me requite them the same mercy and grace that I hope others will requite me.

I pray this in Jesus' proper noun!

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My Confession for Today

I confess that I am a source of approval and not a cause of law-breaking! I practise everything in my power to communicate right messages, and I immediately movement to bring healing and restoration whenever misunderstanding and offense has occurred betwixt myself and someone else. I practice everything I can to bury that offense and to destroy what the devil is trying to do. I make it my aim to walk in the Spirit, to speak the love of God into every situation, and to decline to permit the devil use me to cause others to trip and autumn.

I declare this by organized religion in Jesus' name!

sparking gems from the greek

Questions to Answer

1. Can y'all recall of an occasion when you unintentionally offended someone, and yous were totally shocked when you heard how he or she perceived what y'all said or did?

2. Have y'all ever been offended by someone, only to find out later that the person never intended to offend you and was genuinely sorry when he or she found out how you felt about it?

3. What do you think is the about mature fashion a person can respond when he or she is tempted to become caught in the trap of offense? How do y'all recollect you should deal with a potential crime when someone hurts your feelings or lets you lot down?