Most of us want to act in the Spirit according to the Word of God. But all too often we react in the natural, or in the flesh, taking offense over little things that people do or say.

Proverbs 18:19 paints a picture of a man who, when offended reacts in the natural rather than in the Spirit: "A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like bars of a castle."

When I read that verse, I think of the ancient castles I visited during a trip to Scotland. The castle dungeons are constructed with strong, heavy bars designed to keep prisoners in and everyone else out.

Well, the same thing can be true in the spiritual realm. When we get offended, we often put up invisible bars between others, and ourselves just like the bars in those castles. Those "bars of offense" serve the same purpose as the natural bars - they keep us hidden within ourselves, isolated from anyone who might hurt us.

Sometimes that kind of behavior is called "the silent treatment." We use our silence as a weapon to make sure those who have offended us know that they've messed up. We also use it to let everyone else know we have been offended.

But the silent treatment is just one example of reacting in the natural to an offense rather than walking in the love of God. The Bible says that real love "keeps no record of wrongs" (1 Cor. 13:5 NIV).

Stamp Out Strife
In my ministry office, we have a code that we use to diffuse potentially offensive situations. We call it "SOS," which stands for "Stamp Out Strife." We are very aware that the Word says, "For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work" (James 3:16).

So when we begin to get a little edgy and things start going wrong, one of us yells, "SOS! SOS!" That puts everyone else on immediate notice that strife is rearing its ugly head.

It's time to stop talking, calm down, and ask the Holy Spirit to help us walk in love in that situation. We have found this to be a very effective way to stamp out strife!

You can do the same thing. When things start going wrong in your life, get out your "SOS flag" and start waving it. Stamp out the strife! How? By choosing to walk in the love of God. Love never fails.

Source: Get Over It by Kate McVeigh.
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications