Fortified Cities....

"A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle." (Proverbs 18:19)

Very few situations in life are more difficult to solve than "offended" people. The writer of the Proverbs tells us that an "offended" (brother or sister) is a stronger obstacle/barrier than a fortified city.

Let's think about fortified cities for a while:

1) Usually have good armies in place.

2) Usually have stable government in place.

3) Usually have good infrastructure (roads, highways, shelters) in place.

4) Usually have a sense of security, and a history of victory.

So, what is it about offended people in the kingdom of God?

I have often wondered why we are so quick to " judge" and make " assumptions" without all the facts--and thus run the possibility of offending someone without cause?

Have we become so calloused that we will believe anything about someone with whom we may disagree, or with whom we clash? I've clashed with more than one brother/sister in the church...but I would never seek to harm them, or to wish ill against them. I would also never gossip about them.

But we have God's Word: "offended" brothers/sisters are harder to win than fortified cities.

Thoughts?