The Grace Of Overlooking An Insult

THE GRACE OF OVERLOOKING AN INSULT

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: Stories from Alaska

1. What do you call an emotionally unstable animal who lives in Alaska and vacations in antarctica? A BIPOLAR BEAR

2. Culturally no one in Alaska dates in the winter. Why not? "Because it’s hard to break the ice."

3. An Alaskan said to Texan: ‘Stop bragging about how big your state is, or we'll divide Alaska in half and make you the third largest state.’

4. What do you call an eye doctor living in Alaska? An optical Aleutian.

B. DEFINITION OF “OVERLOOK”

1. Tonight we’re looking at an important tool for life. Most of us will be insulted by someone at one time or another, the person saying something unkind or mean. God calls upon us to overlook the transgression.

2. To “overlook” means to “look past,” to “ignore,” or to “excuse.” For example, most married people have to learn to overlook their spouse’s minor faults. If you’re a parent, you have to overlook some of your child’s minor misbehaviors.

3. We’re looking at how, why, and what is overlooking. Clarification: overlooking an offense is not to be confused with submitting to abusive people or unacceptable circumstances. Jesus calls us to be foot washers, not doormats!

4. TITLE: “The Grace of Overlooking an Insult.”

I. IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHICH NATURE IS IN CONTROL

A. WHICH NATURE IS IN CONTROL?

1. Who’s in control of us: our old natures or our new nature in Christ? Proverbs 12:16 contrasts what a fallen nature does compared to a godly; “Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent (wise) overlook an insult.” We play a part in which is stronger.

2. ILLUS. Which Nature Will Dominate

a. In Alaska there was a man who had two twin wolves, brothers, that he trained to obey him. He used them to hold dog fights. People from all around would come and place bets on which one would win.

b. Although the dogs were identical in size and strength, the owner somehow knew which one would win. A friend asked him, “How do you always know which one is going to win?” He replied, “The one that I feed best that week is the one who will win.” [Source unknown]

c. This is true of us; if we feed the flesh, it will dominate us. If we feed our spiritual nature exclusively, it will dominate. Are you doing what you need to for Christ’s nature in you to win?

3. Prov. 19:11 tells us “...it is to one’s GLORY to overlook an offense.” Why is it a praiseworthy trait to overlook an insult? Because it shows that we’re “growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). We’re being transformed and no longer act like short-tempered lost people.

B. EMULATE CHRIST

1. Jesus is our example of how to act. Many times He was disrespected; by the Jewish leaders, by his family, even by His followers. Do we think we’re exempt from such mistreatment?

2. Have you considered how Jesus remained silent when He was insulted? How He didn’t answer back the High Priest or his accusers many times? “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” 1 Pet. 2:23.

3. So we shouldn’t be surprised when we’re insulted and we should follow His example in how to respond to them!

II. INSULTED? GET MORE INFORMATION

A. IT MAY BE A MISUNDERSTANDING

1. Sometimes, when people have come to me with an apparent problem, I jumped to the conclusion that they were about to bring up a criticism about me. Usually, it turned out not to be an insult, but rather some kind of misunderstanding – the result of incomplete information.

2. It’s a good idea to let people finish what they have to say before you develop a response. “He that answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame unto him” Prov. 18:13.

B. DOES THE INSULT HAVE SOME TRUTH IN IT?

1. Discretion teaches us to delay speaking until we have considered all the merits of the criticism, bring them into the light of truth and weigh them in a just balance.

2. Criticisms frequently have some basis in reality; we should ask ourselves if the insult can be true. If it’s not true, then we can ignore it; “Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause shall not alight” Proverbs 26:2. An unjust insult will never stick to me because it has no basis in truth.

C. HOW IMPORTANT AN ISSUE IS IT?

1. We don’t want to make a big deal over every issue. As they said in Vietnam, “You must choose which mountain you’re going to die on.” Not every mountain is worth dying on. If you’re going to use your influence over others, only do it when the issue is important enough.