Briefing: There is no dictionary entry for “unoffendable”. Nevertheless we will discuss the concept of being unoffendable.

Dispatch (Assignment): Everybody has a pet peeve, something that gets under their skin. What offends you?

On the Street: “I am offended.” “I take offense at that.” When someone breaks the law, they have committed an offense. Do you know what all of this sounds like to me? Job security.

Proverbs 12:16 (NIV) says, “A fool shows his annoyance at once but a prudent man overlooks an insult”. Proverbs 19:11 (NIV) says, “A man’s wisdom gives him patience, it is to his glory to overlook an offense”. There is great wisdom to being un-offendable. Have you ever tried to go a day without being offended? It is incredibly eye opening. Once you give thought and effort to it you start to see how many times a day you allow yourself to be offended. Think of a typical work shift answering calls. How many calls involved someone who was offended by someone else? Being offended is where the offense comes in.

Proverbs 13:13 (HCSB), “The one who has contempt for instruction will pay the penalty, but the one who respects a command will be rewarded.”

Proverbs 14:16-17 (HCSB), “A wise man is cautious and turns from evil, but a fool is easily angered and is careless. A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a man who schemes is hated.”

Proverbs 14:29 (HCSB), “A patient person shows great understanding, but a quick-tempered one promotes foolishness.”

Proverbs 16:32 (HCSB), “Patience is better than power, and controlling one’s temper, than capturing a city.”

Proverbs 15:18 (NIV), “A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.”

Proverbs 17:1 (HCSB), “Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feasting with strife.”

Proverbs 17:27 (HCSB), “The intelligent person restrains his words, and one who keeps a cool head is a man of understanding.”

Proverbs 18:19 (HCSB), “An offended brother is harder to reach than a fortified city, and quarrels are like the bars of a fortress.”

Proverbs 19:11-12 (NIV), “A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense. A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.”

Proverbs 19:19 (HCSB), “A person with great anger bears the penalty; if you rescue him, you’ll have to do it again.”

Proverbs 20:1 (HCSB), “Wine is a mocker, beer is a brawler, and whoever staggers because of them is not wise.”

Proverbs 20:3 (HCSB), “It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute, but any fool can get himself into a quarrel.”

Proverbs 20:22 (HCSB), “Don’t say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the Lord, and He will rescue you.”

Proverbs 22:24-25 (NIV), “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.”

Proverbs 24:29 (HCSB), “Don’t say, “I’ll do to him what he did to me; I’ll repay the man for what he has done.”

Proverbs 25:8 (HCSB), “Don’t take a matter to court hastily. Otherwise, what will you do afterward if your opponent humiliates you?”

Proverbs 25:23 (HCSB), “The north wind produces rain, and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.”

Proverbs 29:8-9 (NIV), “Mockers stir up a city, but the wise turn away anger. If a wise person goes to court with a fool, the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.”

Proverbs 29:22 (NIV), “An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.”

Investigational Resources: Matthew 18:21.

Officer Safety Principle: Get in the habit of being unoffendable. You will have more peace, love, and joy in your life than you ever thought possible.

from The Book of Proverbs Through the Eyes of a Cop
©by Charles Gilliland. Used by permission.
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