Being Polite.... Or Not.

I just finished watching the American adaptation of "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo".  A certain scene took me in deep thought.  So before I continue: [SPOILERS]


There is the scene where Mikael finds himself facing his own death, chained by the neck by Martin, who  Mikael discovered moments before is a killer.  Mikael was running away, but when he was found, Martin invited him inside for a drink, and Mikael followed him in, not wanting to let Martin know anything, and not wanting to be rude.


Martin, upon tying him up, tells him an intriquing story- that Mikael was more afraid of being rude and declining a drink with a murderer than the consequences that would follow going inside for said drink.  

Martin says, "The fear of offending is stronger than the fear of pain."

Wow.  I sat up off the couch and paused the movie right there.  How many times have I been guilty of this- letting sin go "unnoticed", not calling it out, because I was scared of losing a friend.  Even worse- how many times have I fallen into temptation because I didn't want to be rude and go against the flow?


As Christians, we must be above reproach. Temptation will be hard, temptation will be just that- temptation.  Rarely do you ever hear of someone who hates tomatoes being tempted with a bowl of tomatoes. Temptation is going to be hard to fight.  But in Christ we can.  In Christ we must.  


Let's not go down without a fight, let's not weakly roll over and succumb.  Let's fight.  Let's rage war.  Let's offend people instead of falling to temptation.


Are you more afraid of offending someone rather than the fear of falling to temptation?