Good morning people who forgive others like your Father in heaven has forgiven you.
Proverbs 10:12 MEV Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins.
The above verse talks about the two sides of what is possible through our behaviour and words. All of this starts with our motivation, but it overflows into action.
When people sin, how do we respond?
Let me start speaking into this by mentioning a principle that Father continues to highlight to me. Whenever we react against an error, we swing the pendulum to another error. We are called to respond to truth, and when necessary, reclaim truth.
So, what does Father want us to see today from this verse?
When we speak from a place of hatred, we will stir up strife. What is in our heart leaks out through our lips. Unfortunately, and very dangerously, it is often clothed in spiritual sounding language of sharing and concern. The fruit speaks for itself.
Conversely, when we speak from genuine love, we cover sin. Now, this is where we must not react to error and step into another error. Yes, there have been times when the church has covered over what should have been brought into the light and dealt with. This is wrong and more transparency is needed in some situations. That said, this is not what this verse is talking about.
Jesus loved the world so much that He died for the sins of the rebellious – that’s all of us. Christ’s death resulted in our life. This is love covering all sins. The key that unlocks this in a person’s life is their acceptance of this free gift of salivation through their repentance. Once forgiven, God does not remind people of their sin.
And this too is how we are to love when there is repentance. According to 1 Corinthians 13:5, love keeps no records of wrong. We don’t want people to hold our sins against us. We must not hold people’s sins against them.
May Father lead us well in how to love like Jesus loves.