Nothing Shall Offend Them

Pastor preached a message recently that really touched my heart. He was talking about how nothing can offend those that love the Lord. He dwelt on NOTHING for a while and well - that silence really let God move in hearts, including mine! I can't say that I have never had offenses - I have and its hurt.

Psalm 119:165
Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

He talks about great peace being the property of those who love God's law and then ends it with nothing shall offend them.  We could say that others will know that we love God's law because of our peace and because we are not easily offended.  When we really study out the word offend, we can see more on why we should let NOTHING offend us:

Hebrew definition:

offend - a stumblingblock, literally or figuratively (obstacle, enticement (specifically an idol), scruple): - caused to fall, offence, X [no-] thing offered, ruin, stumbling-block.

Webster's definition:

offend - a : to cause difficulty, discomfort, or injury.
b : to cause dislike, anger, or vexation

1 a : violate, transgress
   b : to cause pain to : hurt
2 obsolete : to cause to sin or fall
3: to cause to feel vexation or resentment usually by violation of what is proper or fitting offended by their language.

Whew! I don't know about you but sometimes its a struggle to not let anything offend me. Why would we feel offended in the first place? Did you ever think about that?  Some was shared on that as well and basically its when we are prideful and feel we are something that we become offended.  However, we should not be so readily offended he was preaching, but yet realize we are nothing without Christ. Because to be offended, we must think we are something, or in other words - we have pride in our hearts.  It could be over anything - someone not looking at you the right way, someone's words, someone forgetting your birthday or whatever.  Humble people don't get offended and Jesus was the prime example of that.  If anyone had a right to be offended it would have been Him but he was not offended.

When we think on the fact that we are nothing without Christ and humble ourselves, we then realize that nothing can offend us.  We have that peace because we know that no matter what others may do, say or forget to do or say - we are sure of our stand in Christ and we suffer His reproach with gladness!

To further my study, I read Henry's commentary on the above verse and it really speaks volumes:

They are safe, and have a holy security: Nothing shall offend them; nothing shall be a scandal, snare, or stumbling-block, to them, to entangle them either in guilt or grief. No event of providence shall be either an invincible temptation or an intolerable affliction to them, but their love to the word of God shall enable them both to hold fast their integrity and to preserve their tranquility. They will make the best of that which is, and not quarrel with any thing that God does. Nothing shall offend or hurt them, for every thing shall work for good to them, and therefore shall please them, and they shall reconcile themselves to it. Those in whom this holy love reigns will not be apt to perplex themselves with needless scruples, nor to take offence at their brethren, 1Co_13:6, 1Co_13:7.