Choosing to Be Unoffendable

Ephesians 4:25-27, 29-32

Recommended Reading:

Unoffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better   by Brant Hansen

Introduction:  All of get offended at someone or something.

• Offense:  “an anger or resentment brought about by a perceived insult, indignity or injustice.”
• Offenses are powerful! (Proverbs 18:19)

BIG IDEA:  You can choose to be unoffendable

• Being unoffendable means letting go of the belief that we are entitled to our anger. (Eph 4:26)
• Acc. to Paul we get angry.  But his response is to get rid of it.  (Col 3:8. Eph 4:29ff)
• Everyone is fighting a battle that you do not see.  Offenses intensify the struggle.
• Anger never ends well  (Genesis 4, James 1:19,20)

Human anger does not produce the righteousness of God.

How?

• Get the focus off of YOU.  (I Corinthians 13:5)

 Love is not self-seeking, it keeps no record of wrongs.

• If you give up your right to be angry, it will make you others-oriented.
• Take off your old clothes and put on new clothes. (Colossians 3:12-14)

Choosing to be unoffendable is not about ignoring wrongs.
It’s about loving others even when or especially when we have been wronged.

SELAH:  Holy Spirit what do I need to take off?  What do I need to put on?

• Choose love I Peter 4:8
• Choose humility

Humility is not thinking of yourself less.  It’s thinking less of yourself.

The Power of Unoffendability

Pr. 19:11  A person’s wisdom yields patience…it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense

Illustration: Abraham Lincoln  Who do I need to forgive?