“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,” Matthew 5:44 NKJV
Have you ever seen a rat trap or seen those rat traps in Tom and Jerry? Notice how you just need a little cheese or bread to lure the rat in? That’s how offences work. Sometimes we hear good words in church on Sunday, and we are so excited and ready to face the week, and then we go to work, and the world is not cooperating with our resolve.
Offences are like traps that try to make us do this that are inconsistent with who we are in Christ, and we have to be able to identify them. As a believer, you have to be able to see these traps even in your workplace.
Let’s look at examples in the Bible. In Acts 14:8-11, Paul and Barnabas were going about their work, and they healed the crippled man, and he received a miracle. People were excited, and some of them started to praise them, but in the same chapter, in verse 19 we see this same multitude turning against Paul and stoning him because they were persuaded by some men.
That experience could have shaken Paul’s convictions, but it did not change who he was, and he continued preaching. We have to have the same attitude. Even if you are disappointed by people you trust or surprised by their actions, it shouldn’t change who you are or how committed you are to your work.
When you hold on to hurt and allow it to affect your outlook on work and behaviour, it closes you up for opportunities. When Jesus asked the man at the pool of Bethesda if he wanted to be made whole, the man went about explaining why he hadn’t gotten healed. Thank God Jesus still went on to heal him (John 5:5-8) but this is a picture of some of us. We are so consumed with previous hurt that we can’t look ahead to see an opportunity.
Sometimes persecution can come because of comparisons and assumptions that we have built in our minds. Let’s look at the parable of talent. The servant who was given one talent refused to do anything with it because he felt it was unfair to him that others were given more (Matthew 25:14-30).
Like that unfaithful servant, You might find yourself doing less work and ruining your reputation because someone else got the promotion or recognition you wanted. It is time to reexamine your attitude and change for the better.
Dear believers, see offence for what it is and remember that it is a trap to derail you from who you are in Christ and your purpose. Remember that your purpose is to make Jesus known to people, therefore every platform that allows you to interact with people is a vehicle to fulfil it, including your workplace.
Bible Reading Plan: 2 Kings 20-21