Unoffended and Blessed

“And blessed is [he], whosoever shall not be offended in me.” (Mt 11:6 AV)

These are precious words of our LORD to His disciples.  They are very true words.  The sceptic in us would debate the truth stated above.  We would be less than honest if we didn’t claim to agree with Israel from time to time when they say, “Ye have said, It [is] vain to serve God: and what profit [is it] that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?” (Mal 3:14 AV)  In times of persecution or need, perhaps we thought that being a Christian was not worth it.  Especially in those early years.  Like Israel who could not go into Canaan fresh from the exodus, we became a bit offended at the cost of being a believer.  So, when Jesus says those who are not offended in Christ are blessed, there were times we didn’t feel all that blessed.  Our experiences do not determine truth.  Being a wandering Jew, I am sure that most of the time they didn’t feel blessed.  That is why they murmured.  God was maturing them into a nation.  They were blessed and didn’t even know it.

Taking this verse as truth regardless of what we perceive to be reality helps us see life in a completely different way.  It changes the way we look at events not only from the past, but while they are transpiring as well.  Going out to eat is a good test to try the truth above.  Early in my walk with Christ, I would not pray all that long or that loudly while blessing the food.  Over the years, you lose your inhibitions and do as the Spirit leads.  Interesting things happen.  You get all sorts of ugly looks.  People may even move to another table.  If your walk with God spills over into table conversation with a guest, the reactions of those around you become more dramatic.  There may be a cross word or an all-out argument with someone you don’t even know.  More times than not, there is an interested soul within earshot.  At first, you don’t notice them.  They may have their backs turned to you, and you are unaware that they are listening.  Or, it might be your server who hears your conversation.  When the meal is done and you go to pay your bill, someone who heard you, stops and asks questions.  Or you see a smile that tells you the guest was a believer, and they appreciated someone who was not ashamed to speak of spiritual matters.

Yes, the Christian life is a hard one.  The LORD never promised anything different.  The older I get, the more I appreciate the truth above.  Life has taught me that being in Christ is indeed a blessed life.  It hasn’t always been easy.  There are more difficult days ahead.  With old age comes disease.  With old age comes uncertainty.  With old age come new fears.  With old age comes loneliness.  But to say that walking with God has not been blessed would be the worst lie of all.  The key is to fight shame over one’s identity in Christ.  If we are ashamed to be called a believer, the trouble we face will still be there.  But there will be no offramp.  To have a blessed life, one must embrace his or her identity in Jesus.  To have the best life possible, the saint must welcome what it means and what it costs to be a Christian.  Jesus made a promise.  If we are not ashamed of Christ, yet do not feel blessed, then the fault lies with us.