2 Kings 5:1-14
Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy. And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel. And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy. And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me. And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
Naaman had heard of God’s prophet Elisha. Having leprosy, he decided to visit Elisha so that he could be healed. When Naaman arrived, he expected Elisha to come out and visit with him. Instead Elisha sent a messenger with the instructions on what Naaman should do in order to receive healing. This offended Naaman and caused him to become critical. His expectation, that Elisha would come out and meet with him, was not met. Naaman’s offense almost cost him his healing.
Offense is rooted in unmet expectations. The closer the relationship, the greater opportunity for offense.
Mark 4:14-19
The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
The enemy wants us divided because he knows that a kingdom divided cannot stand. His ultimate goal is to get you offended at God. The Word won’t break through or penetrate the offended soul.
Proverbs 18:19
A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
The only way to stay free from the trap of offense is to walk in love. You can know that you are walking in love if you cover others sins and forgive. If you keep bringing it up, you’re not walking in love.
Proverbs 17:9
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.
Matthew 11: 1-4
And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
John the Baptist knew who Jesus was. He went from feeling like he wasn’t worthy to baptize Jesus, to asking if He really was the Messiah, all because he got offended.
Psalm 119:165
Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
Be the type of person who people cannot offend. If you choose to be un-offendable, you will never fall into the trap of the enemy.