Day 19
Let Love Cover It
“Love covers a multitude of sins.” – 1 Peter 4:8b
One way to promote unity and harmony is to overlook minor offenses.
Such a strategy is recommended throughout scripture:
*Proverbs 19:11 – “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” (See also Proverbs 12:16, 15:18, 20:3)
*1 Peter 4:8 – “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” (See also Proverbs 10:12, 17:9)
*Colossians 3:13 – “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (See also Ephesians 4:32)
When we choose to let love cover the wrongs of others, we are imitating God’s forgiveness toward us: “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. … He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.” (Psalm 103: 8,10)
In his book “The Peacemaker”, Ken Sande writes: “To overlook an offense is an active process that is inspired by God’s mercy through the gospel. To truly overlook an offense means to deliberately decide not to talk about it, dwell on it, or let it grow into pent-up bitterness.”
Such a strategy is recommended throughout scripture:
*Proverbs 19:11 – “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” (See also Proverbs 12:16, 15:18, 20:3)
*1 Peter 4:8 – “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” (See also Proverbs 10:12, 17:9)
*Colossians 3:13 – “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (See also Ephesians 4:32)
When we choose to let love cover the wrongs of others, we are imitating God’s forgiveness toward us: “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. … He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.” (Psalm 103: 8,10)
In his book “The Peacemaker”, Ken Sande writes: “To overlook an offense is an active process that is inspired by God’s mercy through the gospel. To truly overlook an offense means to deliberately decide not to talk about it, dwell on it, or let it grow into pent-up bitterness.”
Pray: Lord, help me to discern which offenses I should overlook and let love cover. I desire to treat people the way that You have treated me. And I know that You sacrificially made a way for the forgiveness of my sins. Because I have been forgiven much, help me also to forgive others.
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