A friend has turned these words into another beatitude - The blessedness of the unoffended. The Baptist was tempted to take offence with Christ, first, because of His long delay in asserting Himself as the promised Messiah; and secondly, because of His apparent indifference to His own welfare. "If He be all that I expected, why does He leave me in this sad plight, extending to me no word of comfort; making no attempt to free me from these dark, damp cells."
Are there not such hours in our lives still? We say, If He really love us and is entrusted with all power, why does he not deliver us from this difficult and irksome condition? Why does He not hurl these prison walls to the ground? Why does He not vindicate and bring me out to the light of life and joy?
But the Lord made no attempt to emancipate His servant; and He seems to be unmindful of our sore straits. All He did for John was to send him materials on which his faith should feed, and rise to a stronger, nobler growth. "Go back," He said in effect to John, "tell him what I can do; he is not mistaken - I have all power, I am the expected King; and if I do not come to his help in the way he expects, it is not through lack of power and willingness, but because of reasons of Divine policy and government, to which I must be true. Tell him to trust Me, though I do not deliver him. Assure him of the blessedness which must accrue to those who are not offended at My apparent neglect. I will explain all to him some day." Thus He speaks still. He does not attempt to apologize, or to explain - He only asks our trust; and promises blessedness to those who do not stumble at life's mysteries.