Peter had just rebuked the Lord. We gather practical application to the nature of an offense from Matt 16:23. It says, “But He turned and said to Peter, Get behind Me, satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men!”

Whew. Here is a question to ask yourself the next time you feel slighted, rejected, or ignored. “Am I being mindful of the things of God right now?” Philippians 2:5 is our template in every circumstance of our lives. 

It says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” The word ‘let’ means to allow it to happen or make room for it. In the sense of an offense, deal with it at the moment of the offense. Don’t let it fester until it is systemic. Ephesians 4:26 says, “…do not let the sun go down on your wrath.”

Lord, we need You. Help us to guard our hearts, so that no seed of any offense will not be able to propagate. In Jesus’ name.