Offense...And Christian Maturity

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11 KJV)

Offense: The Mark of Depravity
If anyone needs evidence of the depravity of fallen mankind, here's one place to look. The word 'Offense' holds a bit of a chilly sound to it. And it's not a wonder that it does, because offense is something that has turned friends into enemies, and relatives into strangers. It has the power of blocking communication. It has the power of breaking hearts and breaking homes. Worst of all, it has the power of turning a heart of flesh into a heart of stone.

I'm not talking about criminal offense. I'm not talking about legal offense. I'm talking about the phenomenon of social offense.

Offense: The Mark of Immaturity
So what exactly is this social phenomenon? Why is it that people will cling so tenaciously to petty grievances, grudges, and slights?

I understand why, and at the same time I don't understand it at all. Growing up, I had more than one opportunity to observe this phenomenon take place. People who take offense, hold grudges, and sometimes even nurse feuds. I don't get it. Exactly how is taking offense supposed to solve the problem, if there even is a problem?

It doesn't. It never has and it never will. Most often the act of taking offense manufactures a problem out of a non-problem, and by that act produces a hatfull of other problems to cherish, to take out and look at every once in a while, just to keep the imagined grievance fresh enough to keep from feeling totally immature about the whole thing.

It appears to me that what is obvious is that people have never learned how to deal with problems, period. When we were children who had a 'social conflict' with a peer, we solved it the way we thought was the right way - we'd fight it out and it was over. Then we grew up and we couldn't fight anymore, so the problems we keep incurring never get dealt with at all, we just take offense and never speak to each other again.

The kids fight and the parents take offense. To both, I have the same advice: Grow up.

Offense: The Mark of Pride
Offense has one big powertrain called Pride. It does an excellent job for it too, because Pride is incapable of humility. Pride is also incapable of solving one single problem. It can blow a lot of smoke and hot air, but let there be work that needs doing, and Pride won't stoop to that level. This is the driving force behind Offense - in fact, offense can only occur under the express orders and direction of pride. Solution to offense: Humility. Solution to pride: Humility.

[Light Bulb]: There are a few things that are becoming clearer to me, right here as I'm writing: As it has become more obvious that pride is the ruling faction of immaturity, so also the definition of what true maturity is has become clear. True maturity comes only with true humility, and true humility only comes as we die to our (depraved) flesh.

There is, after all, more than meets the eye with the need for 'true men and women'...

My friend, if you aspire to true maturity, then you must also aspire to true humility. If with all your heart, you seek this in Christ, you shall find it, that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.