Pastor’s Corner: “Love’s Covering”
1 Corinthians 13:7 (NKJV) – [Love] 7 bears all things,
In this scripture Paul mentions four qualities of love that are closely related: bearing all things, believing all things, hoping all things, and enduring all things. That might sound like love is indiscriminate and accepting of anything that comes along, but “all things” is in context of all the things Love Rejects (vv. 4-6): jealousy, bragging, arrogance, pride, selfishness, delighting in evil, keeping record of wrongs, easily offended, dishonor of others.
“Love bears all things” speaks of love’s willingness to cover sins and protect sinners from further harm. 1 Peter 4:8 (NLT) – 8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. This is opposite our tabloid-mentality society in which gossip is big business and people seemingly have an insatiable appetite to expose and humiliate others.
Love seeks to protect, not expose (humiliate). It confronts and disciplines sin but never broadcasts failures or wrongs. It feels the pain of those it loves and is willing to take that pain upon itself when necessary–as Christ did when He suffered for our sins. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) – 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
When talking about faith in Jesus, we sometimes use words without understanding or explaining them. One of those words is righteous. We say that God has righteousness and that He makes people righteous, but this can be a tough concept to grasp. The way the word righteousness is pictured in the Chinese language is helpful. It is a combination of two characters. The top word is lamb. The bottom word is me. The lamb covers or is above the person. He became our “cover.” He makes us righteous, which places us in right relationship with God. Being right with God is a gift from Him. Jesus, the Lamb, is God’s way to cover us. — Psalm 32:1 (NIV) – 1 Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
When you hear of someone’s sin, what is your first reaction? Do you think the worst of them or even gloat over their failures? Or do you expect the best and want to protect them from further exposure, ridicule, or harm? Are you willing to confront sin when necessary and even help bear the burden that person might be carrying? How you react indicates the quality of your love.
Dear Lord, help us to Love You and others well. Help us to Love like Your amazing Son Jesus – Amen!
In His Grace,
Pastor Hamilton