The package was for me! I opened it to find a stack of work-related leaflets I’d been waiting on, plus an opened and half-full bag of liquorice all-sorts with a scrawled note from my boss saying, “Appreciate all your hard work.”
Thinking the candy packet must have burst open, I inspected the package to see if stray liquorice all-sorts were floating around the bottom of the bag. None to be seen. I checked the number of grams the liquorice all-sorts packet said it contained. No mistake, it was an opened packet, and half its contents were missing!
Really? An opened bag of liquorice? Is that how she shows her appreciation for my hard work? I don’t even like liquorice! Is this an act of passive aggression to show she actually doesn’t value my hard work? What have my co-workers received compared to what I’ve received? How rude to send me an opened packet!
Honestly, these are the exact thoughts that crossed my mind in those few seconds. I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry!
After some consideration, I opted for a good belly laugh at the faux de pas my boss had committed (with no ill intention, I was sure). But I was also dumbfounded at how incredibly close I had come to being offended….due to a packet of sweets!
Context is important. I work remotely, so occasionally, my boss needs to mail me things. In the past, she has occasionally thrown into the postage satchel a little surprise such as a handful of wrapped lollies, a few speciality teabags, a chocolate treat or such-like. It was obvious that she hadn’t thought through what kind of message an opened and half-full bag of liquorice all-sorts may send to me as the recipient with such a note attached. Pardon the pun, but she had almost caused me a sweet offence!
Once I chose to think about it, I could picture my boss impulsively filling the vacant space in the postage satchel with whatever she had on hand because she hates to waste even a skerrick (*aussie slang for small bit). She says wasted space is wasted money. Perhaps she’d even been munching on the packet of all-sorts liquorice as she packed the leaflets, then realized there was some still-fillable space, and therefore thought, “I will share these with Jo!”
I decided to be bemused and amused but not offended.
Hmm…sweet offence. We will only damage ourselves if we eat it regularly enough! God’s Word has plenty to say about its dangers.
Please share any relevant scriptures or thoughts in the comments!
©Quietly Roaring 2023. All Rights Reserved.
Quietly Roaring 
“Great peace have they which love Thy law, and nothing shall offend them.” Psalm 119:165 (KJV)
I love how you brought up the importance of context in this situation, Jo. It’s something many of us fail to consider—when we are prematurely offended.
“The way we judge others is the same way we will be judged by God,” said Jesus.
If it’s like that, then bring on the have eaten bag of All Sorts!
Blessings to you and yours!
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Great verses David! Thankyou for sharing!
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I needed to hear this, thank you Jo!
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Blessings to you Mandy!
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Jo, this is a great lesson about putting ourselves in the other person’s spot. You took the time to consider other options and not presume the worst scenario for your boss.
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Thankyou Manette. Sometimes it’s so easy to jump the gun (as my initial reaction shows). Have a blessed evening.
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“Hmm…sweet offence. We will only damage ourselves if we eat it regularly enough!” Love this Jo! Stuffing myself with sweets and offense can both cause belly aches. It also causes moaning and groaning which affects those around me. Perspective, especially prayerful perspective is so important. Thank you for this sweet reminder.
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I really like your example of an offended person being like a belly ache. It can often cause a pain in the side for others too! Thankyou for sharing your thoughts Beth!
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Whatsoever things are… of good report, think on these things. Sometimes if we take a minute and hold those ‘thoughts’ captive- I find we see others through eyes of grace. Great lesson- thanks for sharing.
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Love the application of taking those offended thoughts captive and thinking of a good report instead. Thanks for sharing such relevant verses Marcia. 💕
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My pleasure always!
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Here’s another Positive Possibility: Your boss actually had two packets of these licorice, and meant to send you the unopened one. She just hasn’t gotten around to letting you know the wrong packet slipped into your package! P.S. 1 Corinthians 13:7 came to mind. (And thank you for becoming a follower of my blog! I am honored and pray you find the posts meaningful whenever you’re able to visit.)
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Dear Nancy I thought I was already following your blog and that you just hadn’t written for a long time, so I was quite dismayed when I realized I’d been mistaken! I always appreciate your wisdom and look forward to catching up on reading what I have missed! Thanks for stopping by and offering a “positive possibility”, I really like that phrase! 🙂
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I thought of that verse, too, Nancy. And I was waiting for the explanation …?
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I have seen my boss since then, but never thought to ask her about it, which I guess is a very good sign that I truly was not bothered by it! ☺️
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That is a VERY good sign, Jo! 😊
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Wise words and a chuckle included. In a world that is way more inclined to be offended quickly over any little thing, your story is great advice. And sadly, there seem to be a pretty large number of Christian Contrarians that find offense in everything. Anyway, licorice in a package even if it were in an unopened package would tempt me towards being offended. I’m like you, it’s icky stuff.
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“Christian contrarians” sums it up nicely Benita! It’s so sad when offence is held on to so tightly!
Anyway, it’s nice to know that I have a fellow liquorice detester in you. 🙂
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Many years ago, I went to my Bible study and they were having a potluck. No one had told me about it and I was very offended. My Bible study teacher noticed and later she gave me a notecard with this Scripture written on it.
“A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.” Proverbs 19:11
That was about 40 years ago, but I remember it well. I can’t tell you how many times the Lord has brought this Scripture to my remembrance! There have been endless opportunities to apply it. Great post, Jo! Blessings!
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Thanks Cindy! I recall your blog post where you told that potluck story, and the truth of it is so relevant! I love how God can use potluck dinners and bags of liquorice to teach us His truth, that to overlook an offence is always going to be the better choice. Bless you!
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Cindy, I immediately thought of two verses, and that was one of them. It is to our GLORY to overlook an offense. Wow…
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