Owners of Number 27

A man came home one evening already irritated. Work had been slow, traffic was slow, life in general felt slow.
He put his key into the front door.
It wouldn’t turn.
He tried again. Nothing.
He jiggled it. Shook the handle. Pushed the door with his shoulder.
Still nothing.
Immediately his mind filled in the story. “Unbelievable. They’ve locked me out. After all I do for this family.”
He knocked. No answer.
Now he was properly offended. He knocked harder. “Fantastic. So now they’re ignoring me.”
He rang the doorbell and held it down far longer than necessary. A neighbour’s curtain twitched. His irritation began turning into a full speech about respect and appreciation.
Then, in one final burst of frustration, he stepped back to kick the door.
And saw the number.

He lived at 29.
He stood there for a long moment, key still in the wrong door, rage still half-loaded in his chest… while the very confused owners of number 27 slowly opened their door to see why a stranger had been aggressively trying to break in.
He mumbled an apology and walked two houses down.
His own door opened immediately.
It had never been locked.
Anger often feels justified because we build the story first and check the facts later.
And if we’re honest, most of us have had a “number 27” moment.

“Good sense makes a man slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” Proverbs 19:11

Anger often rises quickly because we interpret events quickly. Someone speaks sharply, and we assume disrespect. Someone forgets us, and we assume rejection. But good sense pauses. It asks, what else might be going on here? Is this worth my peace? Is this worth damaging a relationship?

Jesus knows we live in a broken world with broken people. Hurtful words, betrayals, injustices, and misunderstandings are inevitable. They are “bound to come.” The world is full of stumbling blocks. In Luke 17:1 Jesus says reason to be offended will come, but we must not fall for it.

l like the second part of our text: it is his glory to overlook an offense. In the Bible, “glory” often means weight, honor, significance, or the visible manifestation of someone’s inherent worth and beauty. So overlooking an offense is a person’s glory. Just as God’s glory reveals his nature, your choice to overlook an offense reveals your nature. Basically, in a world that screams, “Stand up for your rights! Don’t let them get away with it!,” the person who can quietly and deliberately let an offense go stands out. They are not weak; they are operating from a position of immense strength. They wear an invisible crown of honor that the world cannot give.

As we grow in love, the character of God becomes more and more real in our lives. We said it is our “glory” to overlook an offense. That glory is the character of God becoming visible in us. When we forgive, we are acting like the God who forgave us. His character is on display.

Heavenly Father, thank you for overlooking our offenses through Jesus. When irritation rises, give us wisdom to pause. Help us check the facts before we build a case, and check our own hearts before we assign blame. Teach us that overlooking an offense isn’t weakness—it’s glory. It’s your character becoming visible in us. When we choose peace over retaliation, even when no one sees, we wear the invisible crown of those who walk with you. Make this our reflex. Not because we’re strong, but because we’re yours. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Kay Alli