The Covering of Love

Have you ever noticed that it’s so much easier to let a family member or close friend get away with something that you would never let someone you didn’t love get away with? Or what about that new guy at work… Does he do everything wrong and can’t seem to do anything right? Perhaps it’s our attitude that’s causing the problem. I’ve noticed that the people I really care about can’t seem to do anything wrong. When I see something that’s wrong, I can quickly make up an excuse for them because I love them and I don’t want to see them get hurt. It’s easy to see that they didn’t really mean to do whatever they did. We can so easily justify the wrongs they do because we love them. But are we showing love to that new person in our life? When they do wrong, do we quickly point it out and go for the jugular? It really is true that love covers a multitude of sins. We are told in 1 Peter 4:8, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” The word, “deeply”, in the verse above means to stretch out, extend; continual, earnestly. How can we show extended love, continual love, earnest love to others?

The first thing we need to realize is that love is a choice. Love is not about how we feel because our feelings can deceive us. We have to choose to love. I wonder if Jesus “felt” like going to the cross? We know that in the garden, He asked God to “take this cup from me”—meaning that if He didn’t have to go to the cross, then please don’t require that of Him. But the cross was God’s plan, and Jesus had to decide what He was going to do. Was He going to choose to take the sin of the world upon Himself and be separated from God for a time? Was He going to choose a horrible death on the cross for people like you and me--people who don’t even deserve to live? His choice to go to the cross was the greatest gift of love anyone could ever give. He exchanged His life for ours. And by His death, He gave us the chance to have eternal life. And it’s not just eternal life, but it is eternal life with Him. But we also must choose. We must choose to receive the gift of love that He paid for us. When we make that choice, then we have the power of the Holy Spirit living within us to help us to choose to live like He lived, which was to love others. It doesn’t always come easily, but when we choose to love we can overlook the sins of others. We can even overlook the things that others do that annoy us. Call upon the Holy Spirit to give you strength, and you’ll find that love for others will come easier. And remember what Jesus did for you on the cross. If Jesus can do what He did on the cross for us, can’t we show someone else a little love? Remember, love covers a multitude of sins, and Jesus is the best example ever!

Dear Heavenly Father,
You are love and Your love endures forever. Thank You for the love, the grace and the mercy that you have given to us. Thank You for the greatest gift that we could ever receive – the gift that Jesus gave to us on the cross—the gift of eternal life with You. And thank You that we are able to choose to love through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

*All Scripture references are from the NIV unless otherwise noted.