Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. – Proverbs 19:11
Last week in this column, I shared some thoughts about setting healthy boundaries. The fact that you are reading my column this week might suggest that a) you didn’t read last week’s potentially controversial column and so you weren’t encumbered by negative reactions, b) you appreciated my attempt at a biblical perspective on a popular topic, or c) you don’t mind, and maybe even enjoy, reading something that you could find offensive and disagreeable.
Regarding this latter option, when I lived in D.C., I subscribed to the Washington Post mostly so that I could read the op-ed page. I wanted to encounter arguments from perspectives that were likely different from my own. I was rarely disappointed. I read with glee the musings of George Will and William Raspberry. I rejoiced when someone wrote something that contradicted my sensibilities, mostly because it gave me an opportunity to re-consider my own perspective – sometimes concluding that I needed to refine my thoughts, other times reinforcing my values.
I love The Enterprise-Tocsin because it gives me opportunities to hear what’s going on in the lives of people around me and to delight in a diversity of perspectives. Likewise, I love to read Scripture because it confronts me with God’s views which might offend me and others. Think about it: God tells us things that we naturally don’t want to hear. He tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves – to love our enemies. If you are struggling with a knucklehead, such words can be offensive – and we need to hear such words, or we might remain self-assured in our sin.
Jesus offended people around Him, a lot. When He said, “I and the Father are one”, the Jews were offended and picked up stones again to stone Him (John 10:30-31). On Good Friday, they made good on their conspiracy to rid themselves of His offensive speech. They thought that it was a good Friday because their enemy was dangling from a cross. Little did they know that it was a good day because He was willingly to die for the sins of His tormentors. They needed someone to atone for their sins and – despite their active protestations – He was happy to oblige.
This is not to say that everything that offends us is actually good for us. But it is to say that we ought to consider fairly what others might have to say, since we know that our own perspective can be incomplete and flawed, and we ought not fear hearing challenges to re-think. In today’s culture, we see plenty of evidence that echo chambers can produce ugly group-think.
Over the past few years, much has been made of “fake news” and misinformation. In an effort to squelch controversy, some people have suggested that we must protect each other from unhealthy perspectives. While this might seem reasonable, it prevents testing truth. The Bible teaches us that truth can withstand the test of false ideas. When Jesus rose from the dead on Easter morning, the truth of His claims was made known. Still, not everyone believed. Some doubled-down on their self-deception. Jesus said to a rich man, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.” (Luke 16:31) Never were more true words spoken. Truth does not guarantee that it will be believed. But truth is a good place to start – the only place, really.
This Lord’s Day, you will be able to worship your Creator with others in spirit and in truth. You will have an opportunity to hear words that are downright uncomfortable. Words like, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34). Some of the people at church are not very likable – after all, they are sinners. You might choose to stay away from such people and thereby avoid hearing God’s command to gather with such knuckleheads.
I’d like to defend the preacher’s potentially offensive words: “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” (Revelation 2:4-5) Be slow to anger; it is to your glory to overlook an offense. Jesus promises to return. Easter is a wonderful time to repent and believe.
