Spiritual Saturday Prompt
Love Covers A Multitude Of Sins
This does mean sweeping matters under the carpet, but rather talking things over to foster understanding and prevent reoccurrence.
“Without forgiveness and love, you will live with resentment, bitterness, malice and strife which result in more pain. You can never love without forgiving. Forgiveness deepens your ability to love and frees you from pain.” Kemi Sogunle
The Bible quote on 1 Peter 4:8,(love covers a multitude of sins) invites us to foster love among ourselves, in all our interpersonal relationships. This is how best to show the love of God. A good example of Jesus praying for his murderers, ‘’Father forgive them for they do not know what they do’’ is how we can forgive under the most difficult circumstances.
The Universe Is Created In Love
Have you ever wondered why the whole creation is self-sustainable? Creation contains everything to sustains life on it, there is nothing to add, only to take away, and even then, whatever is taken away is being replenished from time to time. This is because of the love of the Creator to fully sustain His creation. Indeed, the Bible said, ‘’God proceedeth to settle man on earth’’. ‘’To Settle’’, according to some commentators mean that He provides for all, for everything that man may require to live a blissful life on earth.
Love is an attribute of God and one of His gifts to us
Some may argue that not everyone lives a blissful life. Yes, that is true. However, the life that creation gives to mankind is that of bliss. If there is hardship and unpleasantness in the life of any individual, that individual has put it there himself. And until he understands, and do a turnaround, that individual will continue to experience hardship. This is simply because wickedness and evil are alien to the love of God.
Six Ways That Love Can Cover A Multitude Of Sins
1. Keep No Record Of The Wrongdoing
We do not keep faults and flaws in our minds, but we are willing to talk things over. This is to ensure that the other person understands why we are wronged, and therefore allow the relationships to continue as before.
2. Do Not Broadcast The Wrongs Of Others
It is human to want to tell others what a person has done wrong, but love does not do this. Instead, we should discuss directly with the offender. This is because we are not happy that the offence has happened, but we are more interested in ensuring and fostering a loving relationship among ourselves.
3. We Are Not Sweeping Matters Under The Rug
We need to emphasise that it is no love to sweep matters under the carpet and turn a blind eye, pretending it does not happen. No, but rather reporting incidences that needs advocate and correction, and helping all parties to gain confidence in the love that we provide. A good example is a rape, for instance. This is a serious offence that both parties concerned need help with. Our role in showing love to report it to ensure professional help is available to both parties, and prevent reoffending.
‘’Love covering sin also does not mean we disregard our own emotions or ignore our personal boundaries. We cannot “cover” sin by denying that it hurt us. We cover sin by acknowledging it and then extending the forgiveness God has given us to others.’’ gotquestions.org
4. We Can Choose Not To Take Offense At Everything
We can choose to practice the act of silence by choosing not to easily take offence at everything. Most examples of such things to ignore are personal snipes, slight and ignorant remarks about us that are damaging to our self-esteem.
Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offence. Proverbs 19:11
If we are easily angered by every remark, it can lead to sinful expression by trying to get even.
5. We Are Not Self-seeking, Rather God-focused
The sure remedy for self-seeking is love towards humanity and God. Our intention is to love God, our neighbour as ourselves. The Bible says, ‘’no man hates himself’’. This is because if we hate ourselves, there is no way to love others. The one reason why we preach self-love so that it can flow out to others that God has put in our path.
We need to work against selfishness, indeed we should work for a cause, not for applause, and live our lives to express and not to impress. The love that is in us is also about others, not trampling on the rights and needs of others to fulfil our own desires.
6. We Do Not Have Egocentric Idea About Ourselves
I Corinthian 13:4, further says, ‘’Love is not proud’’. It means we are puffed up, believing we know it all and are above board. If we live this way, it is easy to look down on others. Pride in itself is a sin, ‘’Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.’’ Proverbs 16:18
“A proud man then is a kind of glutton upon himself; for he is never satisfied with loving and admiring himself; whilst nothing else, with him, is worthy either of love or care” Willilam Penn
The Takeaways
The love that is shown in forgiving others, will earn our own forgiveness from God.
1 Corinthians 13:4–8 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hope, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
Although love covers a multitude of sins, we are to distance ourselves from those who are not willing to change from their destructive ways. We are neither judging them, now withdrawing help and support, but we need to ensure the bad way is not rubbing on us. In the same vein, we are to distance ourselves from an abusive relationship.