DAILY HOMILIES #offence

Sin is not just an offence against God; it is an offence against myself. As long as I do not live by God’s instructions, I can never become all that God desires for me. When a doctor tells you to choose between your favourite meal and death, I bet you will start hating that meal. To live above sin, we must hate sin. If our hatred for sin is not strong, we may abstain for a while only to return.

If proper statistics are taken, it would reveal that the answer to this question for most of us is zero. We do not even bother to count. When we feel offended, we rush to retaliate, end the relationship (business agreement, marriage, contract etc.) or bottle everything up – waiting for the right time to strike back.

Peter’s question was with regard to a brother who admits his faults and comes begging for forgiveness. Jesus is teaching us today to always forgive, especially when the offender comes to beg for pardon. Honestly, forgiveness is one of the most difficult things to do even for a devoted Christian.

Step 1: Go to the person who has hurt you and discuss ONE on ONE with him or her. (Matthew 18:15). Avoid having to tell others without first, this is gossiping and it damages the image of the one who has offended you.