Love Covers

25 Aug 2009

And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8

The writer of Proverbs says, “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions” (Prov. 10:12, NASB). Love covers in that it does not stir up or broadcast the sins and failures of others.

In Genesis 9:20-27, we are told that Noah blessed his sons, Shem and Japheth, but cursed his grandson, Canaan the son of Ham. The reason? While drunk, Noah laid naked inside his tent (9:21). Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside (9:22). Upon learning that their father was naked, Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away so that they didn’t have to look at their father’s nakedness (9:23).

In Scripture, nakedness is associated with shame. Canaan, Ham’s son, is cursed because his father uncovered Noah’s nakedness, thereby exposing him to shame. He didn’t merely look at his father’s nakedness, he invited his brothers to shame their father also. Instead, Shem and Japheth ended up being blessed because they covered their father’s nakedness and prevented him being brought to shame.

God did something similar to this in the Garden of Eden. After eating from the tree, Adam and Eve “knew that they were naked” (3:7). To cover their nakedness and deal with their shame, God made garments of skin to clothe them (3:21). This is the way love acts with regard to the sins and failures of others. Love does not condone sin, neither does it broadcast nor take delight in the failure of others.

Love lifts the garment of forgiveness, without feeling the need to look at the nakedness of the fallen one. Love does not take delight in rehearsing the past sins of others. It refuses to keep score when others do wrong. It never looks back at what people were, but chooses rather to always look forward to what God can make of the worst among us. Love is never vengeful.

When you are a loving Christian, you will always seek to bless even those who are talking bad behind your back. Have you noticed that Jesus didn’t command us to love our neighbor more than ourselves, but as we love ourselves? I know all the bad things about me and I still choose what

I like to eat when I go to a restaurant. I wait until it is cool outside to do gardening. I wear comfortable clothing and avoid things that cause me pain. I don’t broadcast my faults or uncover those sins God has forgiven. Why? I do love myself. And that’s how God wants me to love you and you to love me.


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5 Responses to “Love Covers”

  1. Red Apple on August 25th, 2009 6:30 am

    God say ,”You put yourself first,you will reach me last,put yourself last,you will reach me fast”.That is something that the brain really really don’t understand.Ha Ha!Ha Ha!

  2. DOMINIC NG on August 25th, 2009 8:21 am

    Suffer to be with the LORD is for the GLORY of CHRIST JESUS. To be tempted is DISGRACING ourselves unless we put HIM only before all GIVING HIM GRACE, BLESS HIM & BE A TRUE WORKER OR SERVANT FOR HIS NAME WILL BE SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CONERN OF THE EARTH…

  3. yinthin on August 25th, 2009 11:01 pm

    One of the best thing about becoming a new man through the word of God is that all bad things i wanted to do and couldn’t allow by God when i was young.I no longer want to do the bad things.
    much admiration

  4. Red Apple on August 26th, 2009 6:13 am

    For the above statement I think I will change it from God says to Holy Spirit says,else he might charge me for accusation.

  5. Quarrel « Jesus & weitian on September 4th, 2009 12:25 am

    [...] I like this devotion. [...]

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