Don't Get Offended This Christmas

Don’t you dare say “Merry Christmas” or someone might get offended! Don’t wave that American flag! Foreigners might get offended. Change the school mascot from the Redskins to something else or Native Americans might get teed off. Burn the Confederate flag, or African-Americans will get stirred up (yet the Civil War was not primarily over slavery, but state’s rights). Destroy your fur coat or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals will hiss and growl. Sound familiar? Yet we shouldn’t be surprised because statements similar to these are the result of a “multi-cultural society” which over stresses diversity, leading to division and a one-sided tolerance.

Yet, as Christians, we should be concerned about not causing offences. Where do we draw the line? How do we walk the tightrope of never offending anyone, yet standing for what we believe simultaneously? It is important to stand, with the right attitude. Even then, some are looking to be offended. I could get offended all the time, if I so choose. Here’s a list of some things that light my fire. I could get offended:

**When Bible-believing, conservative Christians are portrayed as backward, illiterate fools, which is usually the way the news media and entertainment industry portrays them.
**When trans-sexuals claim they were born the wrong gender and want insurance companies or taxpayers to pay for the “handicap” they have had to endure. God doesn’t make mistakes. Live with what you have and be who you are born to be.
**When we are told that Islam is a religion of peace and that we cannot dare speak the words “terrorism” and “Islam” in the same sentence, nor can we point out the hypocrisy of the media in defending Islam while trashing Christianity.
**When Christmas haters continually attack Christmas in public government places, The should be reminded of the First Amendment’s guarantee is about the freedom FOR religion and not freedom FROM religion.

However, I choose to be mature and not walk around crying and sniveling over these blatant inequities. Yet, I get so weary hearing of the few who yell the loudest. ONE person doesn’t want a Christian symbol displayed, so the FIVE HUNDRED people who prefer the symbol MUST defer to the ONE. ONE or TWO complain about a Santa appearing at a public city government sponsored event, so the whole town is supposed to give up the time honored tradition, even for the ONE or TWO (regardless what your personal opinion of Santa Clause may be, the principle is the issue here). ONE artist has the right to express himself or herself by creating and exhibiting obscene art, so EVERYONE must be exposed to it and endure. And so forth, and so on . . .

So what answer do you give to people who on these issues? I want to say, “Get a life” but that might offend someone. Instead, I’ll just say get in the Word of God. It will thicken your skin, ground you in reality, and insulate you with wisdom and discernment. “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them,” Psalm 119:165. People who are easily offended are usually immature and selfish. Those individuals with a healthy degree of maturity (from the Word), who put others first in Christian service, aren’t easily offended, and they stand like a rock.