Memes, Micro-aggs, Marshmallows
A Good Offense Wins Championships: Part 1
With every creative endeavor comes the very real possibility that someone, somewhere will get offended. Offense is a reaction to something perceived as insulting, disrespectful, or just not perfectly representing one’s own obviously perfect personal taste or worldview. And when it comes to comedy? Offense is like throwing a wet blanket over a campfire and then wondering why no one is thanking you for rescuing the melting marshmallows… A tough metaphor, but you get it.
In our culture - including the American church - claiming offense has become a socially acceptable form of self-righteousness. Christians throw wet blankets with the best of them. That may be why Christian “comedy” often feels like a Thanksgiving dinner made up of plastic food. We can’t eat it, but are obligated to smile like it’s Grandma’s finest. And everyone is hungry for something real. (Grape juice can’t save me… I digress.)
We Christians are supposed to be different, but the cultural dialect is that of offense, and we’ve become fluent in it. Why? Because offense is so darned acceptable nowadays. Play the part, post the outrage, and you’re welcomed into the club of the informed, the enlightened, and the virtuous. And yes - even we in the church want to be invited.
We declare offense not because we’re actually wounded, but because we feel like it is the right response. We’ve been conditioned by the culture. We justify this outrage by claiming a line was crossed - by a word, a meme, a historical event, or, heaven forbid, the violence of silence.
The Bible says, “An offended brother is like a walled city.” (Proverbs 18:19). When a person gets offended, he becomes unreachable (Or should I have said he/she… or they… or LatinX? I’m not quite sure, but I am sure someone is offended already.) A walled city is not importing or exporting goods - except for arrows, possibly. Or boiling 10W-40. In the same way, offense closes us off to understanding and connection. It isolates us.
And here’s the thing: the church has adopted the world’s language of offense, and in doing so, we’ve trained our hearts to default to it. What starts as a cultural stance quickly becomes a personal posture. And through that isolation-factor, it hurts the offended more than the offender. Then it gets personal. When it does, it can trigger DEFCON 1 levels of offense. Find a bunker.
And the true fallout? Friendships fracture. Careers crumble. Opportunities - and Paradise - lost. All due to offense.
So, here at the end of Part 1, ask yourself if you have any offense in your heart. Has anything you’ve seen or heard negatively affected you on a personal level? Ask God to reveal any offense and why that offense is there. If there is any unforgiveness towards the one who may have offended you - him, her, or them? Ask God to help you let it go. Or, if you want to be bold, ask Him to level up your funny bone.
And if you’re still hung up on the LatinX joke, congratulations! You’ve proven the point.
