Devotional: Love Covers Sins

Date: February 21, 2008

Devotional: Love Covers Sins

Scripture Verse: Proverbs 10:12

Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

PROVERBS 10:12

Sometimes it’s easier to stir up strife than to cover sins. When another person wrongs us, in some cases, our first response is to get even…not bring peace to a situation. But stirring up things is a sinful reaction, one that denies God’s love and spreads sin, both in our hearts and in the hearts of others. When people respond in love to one another, they cover over the sins, or offenses, that would otherwise come between them.

Peter tells us, in I Peter 4:8, “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” Basically, Peter is just trying to tell us that “love covers a multitude of sins”. He is not implying that one Christian’s love atones for another Christian’s sins. Instead, Peter is reminding us that love does not stir up sins. We can demonstrate our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ by truly forgiving them and not talking openly about their past sins.

Some people think that one person’s love can wipe out another person’s sin. The only love that can cover sin in this way is the love of Jesus Christ. His love led him to the cross and it is on the cross where he shed his blood that sins repented of might be wiped out.

Your love and my love have no power to wipe out sin, or to change how a person’s sin may be forgiven. Only the blood of Jesus can do this.

Your love and my love can help sinners realize their sins, face them, and repent. It is in this way that the multitude of sins can be covered, not by ignoring them and turning a blind eye. James talks about this very thing and lets us know what benefit it will bring. In James 5:20, he says, “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Love is not a carpet under which to sweep people’s sin. It is a light which can reveal sin and lead a sinner to God’s love, mercy, and grace. Love is a fine purifier that gets rid of wrong. True love does not hide and abide evil. It exposes and expels evil.

So, if you ever find yourself taking offense when someone has wronged you, stop and ask the Lord to cover your sins with His love and fill your spirit with the desire to do His will. As you learn to forgive, God will fill you with love that reflects His so you can truly live for Him.