As a man, you have the responsibility to lead, teach, cover your family with your life. If you fail in this, you fail as a man.”
–B.N. Rundell (The Trail to Retaliation)
“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”
–Philippians 2:5 (NIV)
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Proverbs 10:12:
“Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.” (NKJV)
“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.” (ESV)
Bob Beasley simply puts it like this, “Sin separates us from intimate fellowship with both God and our neighbors. Love reunites in its perfect bond.” We read in Peter that “love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8). Now, don’t get the wrong idea. Love does not hide sin. As we repent, love covers our sin (atonement). This verse does not deal so much with our salvation as with relationships. The New King James Study Bible states, “This verse describes interpersonal relationships, not salvation. When people respond in love to each other, they cover over the sins, or offenses, that would otherwise come between them.”
Right from the beginning when Adam and Eve sinned, “their bond of intimacy slipped away” (Beasley). They realized their shame and tried to cover their sin. They knew that some type of covering was needed. God had to intervene and in His love, “covered them with the skins of animals, slain in anticipation of the One who would be slain for their salvation and eternal unity with Him.” (Beasley)
We must also not get confused over the term “love.” Superficial, pseudo-love is worthless. The term is thrown around very loosely today. Love is not happiness; oh it can bring happiness, but love is commitment and sacrifice. It is not self-serving, but serving, the giving of self. This is the love that covers offenses. Fausset declares, “Love does not condone sin, but takes no notice of a friend’s errors.” It is important to understand that a relationship is involved.
Look at our country. There is much hatred and it has stirred up much strife. It keeps, what Charles Bridges says, “alive rankling coldness, disgust, dislikes.” There is no forgiveness, no love, but only anger and strife. This hatred is insatiable, hate breeds hate. Know this, as J.L. Flores points out, “hatred is blind” it strikes out at whomever is in its way. Hatred indeed stirs up strife even within the calm, decent person. The serene, peaceful lake only requires some disturbance to stir up the mud lying at the bottom. “Malicious hatred will but incite to more sin.” (Flores) The calm person to whom hatred is shown all of a sudden reacts because of the stirring, the strife.
Though love covers all offenses, at least it tries to, but remember that even though love attempts to end the strife and hatred, the person must be willing to accept the love, the covering, the pardon that is offered. There are some who enjoy having a bitter spirit, some who live to stir up hatred. I reiterate that this love does not deal with salvation but with relationship. We often take 1 John 1:9 out of context and apply it to everyone. John was writing to Christians, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (NKJV) This is relational. We are children of God, therefore He is there to hear our repentance and to forgive. His great love covers all offenses.