“And above all things have fervent love for one another,
for love will cover a multitude of sins.”
1 Peter 4:8
Something weighs on my heart
today. Many people love those that are in their family or those that are in our
church but they expose one another’s sins by pointing their failures out and
talking about them to others all the time. This should not be so. It grieves
the heart of God. We should have a “fervent love for one another.” Because of
the love we have for those that are in our lives, our love should “cover a
multitude of sins.” Dave, Brittney, Nicole and I are not perfect and we don’t
claim to be. All of us sin and fall short of the glory of God. As a rule of our
household, we strive to not talk bad about one another to other people. Why?
Because we love them! We do this concerning those that are in our lives as
well. The old saying “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all”
rings true for us. Colossians 3:14 says “put on love, which is the bond of
perfection.” Hebrews 13:1 says “Let brotherly love continue.” Proverbs 10:12
says “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins.” If you are
continuously talking about those that are in your family or the church’s
negatively, the Word calls this hatred. Hatred talks about others and the enemy
uses this as it stirs up dissension in your life and the life of those you are
talking about it. It gives the enemy an open door to go through. It causes
separation and division. It builds up a wall between you and them. Love isn’t
this way. Love covers all the sins of those we love. It is not saying that
everything they do is right. That is not what I mean here. It just means that
we love them enough not to belittle them and defame their name. We pray and
intercede for them instead and love on them when the opportunity warrants us.
God’s Word tells us that “love never fails!” Oh, that we would keep our lips
from speaking evil about people, especially those that we love and are praying
and interceding for, those that we are standing in the gap for. James 5:20 says
“let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a
soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” Talking about people in an
unkind manner can keep them from coming to Christ. Let’s love on them and pray
for them instead. Let’s see the Holy Spirit move and bring them to Christ!
Father, may we be instruments of Your peace. May we not
speak negatively about people behind their backs. 1 Corinthians tells us that
we shouldn’t keep a record of wrongs. This is not love. Exposing people’s sins
to them and others is not walking in love. It shows that something is not right
in us. We are not the blessed Holy Spirit., You are. May we love on them, cover their offenses and
pray and intercede for them instead. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
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