It seems like I get offended a lot these days. A co-worker can take God's name in vain and it offends me. Or, I could be in a bookstore and I hear something that offends me. Or, I could be in the check-out line and see a magazine that offends me. You're a Christian. You know how it is. You could be walking and see a t-shirt and —BOOM— you're offended. See a billboard —BOOM—offended. Listening to the radio—offended. See a commercial — offended. See a movie—offended. Read a bumper sticker—offended.

Most of the things that offend me have to do with people ridiculing Christianity, or blaspheming Christ, or mocking my beliefs, or undermining my worldview or questioning my opinions or glorifying sin. It seems that we Christians are the weak ones, always getting strung-up about "nothing". Taking offense to things that "aren't all that important". Seems like there's nothing we can do about it, right? Well, I think there is something we can do about it. I think it's time for the church to start offending the world more. Oh, I don't mean in a sinful way, but in a righteous way. See, it's OK if the world offends us all day long, but how come we can't offend the world some? I'm talking about living our lives unhypocritical, uncompromised, holy and godly that would put any heathen to shame. I'm talking about using key words in conversations: sin, judgment, hell, accountability, when needed. I'm talking about leaving our Bible on our desk at work. I'm talking about having the courage to tell people why we don't do certain things. Let them have it between the eyes. Just like David did to Goliath. And just like David, I think we can feel outnumbered, overpowered, and overwhelmed by all the stuff that offends us; it seems like the odds aren't in our favor. But Goliath didn't win. It was the underdog who won. Let this be a call for Christians to start righteous-offending people today and get people to think that the Messiah we serve, may in fact, be offended by their sin, too.

June 15, 2002