I just briefly met a friend's mother and have to re-cap the experience. The woman shared with me that on her way to visit her daughter she had met a young man recently released from prison. The woman felt compelled to share with this man about God's forgiveness and her own story of past abuse and the power of Christ's forgiveness to heal her. She had encouraged the young man that not only were his sins forgiven, but he now had the power to forgive also those who had sinned against him.
"Because," she lit up, "Love covers a multitude of sins."
I got chills. One of the Bible Studies I attend has been studying 1 Peter.
1 Peter 4:8 "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." (ESV)
I don't know how many times I've read this verse over the last month. What a radical statement!
Love.
Covers.
A Multitude.
Of Sins.
What if every time someone in my life hurt me, I chose to love them? Would that not cover the offense?
If I can expect future good, instead of fearing future evil from that individual--imagine the possibilities!
I might get hurt. I might be offended again.
But what if the opposite happens? Isn't it worth the risk? Expect good.
"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly...since love covers a multitude of sins."
Ah, how well timed! I came home this evening really really not appreciating one of my friends & there was this blog sitting in my Google Reader. Thanks for the perspective on love! Even if he chooses to be a s*&$^#@! or an a*&^%*$ occassionally, it still gives me no excuse not to love him as a friend and expect good in the future!
ReplyDeleteLove wins; this is my current denomination and doctrine. I got caught up in a deep theological discussion with a friend recently fighting over a worthy, but ultimately insignificant difference that has divided churches in the past. We talked about how if we just took the approach Jesus used and loved people all over, genuinely and without expectation of return on our investment, it would be a much better allocation of our emotions than endless and heated debates.
ReplyDeleteThough, I think those have their place too...just to be clear.
P.S. I know this wasn't your point you were making, but your post made me think of the risk of loving people first and appearing to lack an argument might be even more powerful than coming in swinging.
Check out Rob Bell's recent sermon on the beatitude, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." http://www.marshill.org/teaching/
ReplyDelete