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Jesus Christ and the Offender, the OffendedBy: Joseph H. MurrayAs long as we, as Christians, are offending “one of the least of these” or being offended by “one of the least of these,” we cannot be of any help to either of the two above mentioned groups. In fact, we are found to be in one group or the other. Before one can be used of the Lord to help God’s people, we have to move from the stage of the offender and from the state of being offended at every little thing that comes our way, and move to the plateau of which Paul wrote of when he said, “But none of these things move me” (Acts 20:24). It is written, “And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea” (Mark 9:42). No one can be offended unless there is an offense in them, because we cannot reap anything that we do not sow. Therefore, we should depart from all sin so that no one could sin against us. If we are liars, we should stop being liars so that no one could lie to us. We should stop deceiving others so that we could not be deceived. Again, I say, we can only receive into our basket what we have it open for, and what we already have in it. If a trash basket, we receive trash. If a vessel of honor, we receive only the good things of God and things that are honorable. Notice, or remember, that Jesus never puts any one down but draws both the offender and the offended to the same level. When He was arrested in the Garden, this happened: “And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And He touched his ear, and healed him” (Luke 22:50–51). Again, it is written, “Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?” (John 18:11). Then said Jesus unto him, “Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword” (Matt. 26:52). On another occasion, Jesus stood on the stage of one of life’s tragedies: “And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto Him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, they say unto Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest Thou? This they said, tempting Him, that they might have to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground, as though He heard them not. So when they continued asking Him, He lifted up Himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up Himself, and saw none but the woman, He said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:3–11). Pity those Pharisees and scribes could not have stayed around long enough to have heard Jesus speak those consoling words to this wretched woman, for neither would He have condemned them for not being able to throw stones but would have spoken those same words to them also, with a “go and sin no more.” Again, in doing what He did, on this occasion, He would have lifted the offender and the offended on the same level. |
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