The Trap
Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations tells of a young man who dreamed of wealth, status, and a beautiful bride, only to discover that great expectations can become great disappointments. Life is full of these moments. Young couples marry expecting endless romance, but a lot can happen between the wedding cake and the silver‑anniversary cake. Careers stall, children need attention, partners grow older, and the answers to prayer can take longer than you expected.
The people who thrive are not those who avoid disappointment, but those who learn to face failed expectations without becoming offended — at people or at God.
In Scripture, offence means a trap, a snare, a stumbling block. Jesus said offences are inevitable. The issue is not whether they come, but whether we let them trip us. We can be offended by people who correct us, fail us, or misunderstand us. But we can also be offended at God, and Paul knew it could happen. He said, “I myself always strive to have a conscience without offence toward God and men.” (Acts 24:16). And he had every reason to be offended. He was beaten, flogged, imprisoned, shipwrecked, slandered, and rejected by the very people he was trying to save. Yet he guarded his heart fiercely from the poison of offence.
John the Baptist was Jesus’ relative, childhood friend, and the man who lived on bugs to serve God with absolute devotion. He prepared the world for Salvation, yet he ended up in prison. He expected Jesus to get him out. After all, God delivered Daniel, the Hebrew boys, Jeremiah, and Joseph. But Jesus didn’t. John died in prison. And Jesus sent him this message: “Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” (Matthew 11:6). It looked like a raw deal, but heaven saw it differently. Jesus called John the greatest man ever born of women. His mission changed the world. His honour is eternal. He was a “victim” for a moment but a victor for eternity.
Friend, when it comes to people, don’t assume that others think, feel, or prioritise the way you do. And don’t expect more than they have the capacity, maturity, or skill to give. Separate what you wish they’d do from what they’ve actually promised. And when it comes to God, expect great things — but expect what He promised, not what you imagined.