Offence

Someone quoted something on Facebook that I like.  Part of the quote said, “if you are easily offended you are easily manipulated.”
I reckon that is spot on.  Some seem to know what buttons to push.  Generally, it starts innocently enough.  Something is said and it sets me off.  It can be stored in the other’s memory bank.  Some think, “I know not to go there again,” while others note it as a place to go.
The thing about being offended is I can think of no time it is the required response.  And as the quote says when I am easily offended, I am easily manipulated.  It is too easy for me to be brought down by responding with offence.  Like it or not, not everyone has my best interests at heart.
I am not talking about what I see as an offence to my nature.  I have places I will not even consider going.  I won’t make a song and dance about it, but I won’t go there.  That to me is perfectly natural.
The offence I feel I need to guard against is mostly an attack on my ego.  While ever there are parts of me I feel I can take credit for, I will be offended when it is attacked.  As long as that happens, I can be manipulated.
It seems the best-case scenario is my credibility is shot, or to me, worse still, a chain of events is set in place that does not end well for anyone.  I may experience a victory, but it is a hollow one, that leaves a bitter taste in everyone’s mouth.
To me this sort of offence is the opposite of love.  It is an attempt to make me look good and the other bad.  Whereas I need to want what is best for me and best for others.  It does not matter that they may not want me to look good.  I need to deal with me.
But if it is my area of weakness it is sure to be exploited.  In footy a team does not go up the middle if they know there is no weakness there.  But if they know there is a weakness out wide, they will spread the ball there.  It is up to the team being attacked to fix that weakness or they will continually be manipulated and come undone when it matters most.
I watched Justice League last night.  It had its share of terrible reviews but it highlighted to me the danger of offenses.  It was only when the Justice League mended their weakness could they defeat Steppenwolf.
Life is so much about winning little victories that all help to build my strength to win victories that mean more to more than just me.  Justice League made me think of that.  The humans were going about their business as they should, but there was something worse coming that they were unprepared for and would render any personal victories meaningless.
It seems to me not taking offence and allowing myself to be manipulated, is built on security.  Not security that will crumble the moment it is tested, but security that stands the test of time.