What would it be worth to you to be able to go through the rest of your life and never be offended or offend someone again? Oh, you could wear a clothespin on your nose and wear a surgical mask so as not to ever smell anyone's bad breath (or have them smell yours), but I'm not talking about that.

There are many other ways we offend people, even though most are done with the mouth.  I remember the old Dial soap commercial that said, "Aren't you glad you use Dial? Don't you wish everyone did?" You see, some of our ways are smelly to others. And they're smelly to God, as well.

Maybe you need "offense insurance."

Most people who drive have insurance in case they have an accident. At least that's what the law requires. Of course, there are those "offenders" who don't bother with insurance. Why not? Because it isn't convenient to their way of life; because their life is a law unto itself. In other words, they only do what feels good to them, with no regard for others. Therefore, others have to pay for their rebellion.

And there are other people who seem to take everything the wrong way, who get offended at things that would never bother others. They think the whole world is against them. Well, they're partially right, there is a whole world against them. Only it isn't the physical world, but the unseen world of demonic spiritual beings.

A third of the angels were kicked out of heaven for their disobedience to God, and many of them were "sentenced" to this world until judgment time. So while they have nothing better to do, they go around seeking whom they may use to stir up strife and resentment.

We all know someone who just seems to rub everyone the wrong way (sort of like petting a cat). Rub its fur the right way, and the cat purrs. Rub it the wrong way and you will get clawed and maybe bit. Does that sound like anyone you know? I thought so. They're easy to find, and we don't have to look far to find them. It is the devil's way of letting us know that he's still around and working.

To the untrained eye, it looks like people are the problem. It's amazing, but an individual or small group of people can get a whole country into a war that brings destruction to all of them. Look at Hitler, for example. One man's hatred resulted in the death of millions of innocent people.

But the problem really lies in what is motivating those problem people to act as they do. I'm not defending Hitler's actions, but I'd be willing to bet that he did not always have that hatred in his heart. Did you know he was a very talented artist at one time? But at some point during his life, he started listening to the devil's lies.

What about those other people, who for untold generations before them have stirred up war against their fellow men, and killed them in the name of "ridding the land of offenders"?

It all started with the line, "I think there are only two people who are right in the whole world, and that is you and me. And lately, I'm not too sure about you." And offense begins.

Unfortunately, we all listen to the devil's lies. When we allow ourselves to listen to all those lies, we will be offended, or will offend others. You could kill every person, or even entire races of people that you look at as offensive, and still not get rid of the problem.

Why not? Because the unclean spirits that are motivating offensive people cannot be killed. They just go from generation to generation into another body and start their work all over again. How else can you justify the fact that war has persisted ever since sin entered the world? This pattern has repeated itself over and over again for thousands of years. And we're doing it, just like our ancestors before us. And unless Jesus comes soon, our kids will do it as well.

But there's a better way. Remember that "offense insurance" I mentioned earlier? It works just like car insurance. When your car gets hit, you call your insurance agent and they fix your car. And if it's your fault, they fix not only your car, but the other person's as well.

They try to make everything "right" again, just as if it never happened. That's what you pay your insurance premium for. You hope you never to have to use it, but if you need to, it's there.

That's exactly what the grace of God does! It fixes you when you mess up, or get messed up. Now apply that to your life as offenses occur. When someone does or says something to you that offends you (or if you offend someone else), call the "Insurance Man"—the Holy Spirit—to apply grace to the situation.

The need for this insurance is described in 1 Peter 5:7-9:
Casting all your cares upon Him; for He careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
Furthermore, 1 Corinthians 10:32 says, "Give none offense, neither to the Jews, neither to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God."

By refusing to be offended, we eliminate the devil's lies from having any effect on us. Jesus took a lot of "hits" from offense aimed at Him. But He never allowed Himself to become offended.

By refusing to be offended, we would be able to live in peace with all mankind, and, we would cease to be an offense to others.

Jesus paid the premium for "offense insurance" in full, with His own blood. Write your name on the policy as beneficiary today, and never be offended again.

Life Healing Ministries
All rights reserved. Used by permission.