The Beautiful Cover Up

Through a very embarrassing personal story, let’s learn how we can cover others’ sins and why it is so important.

I’ve had an earworm lately! Do you know what that is? It’s really a catchy tune that gets stuck in your mind and plays over and over. My earworm is a bit different. I have a verse that is playing on an earworm loop in my head. And I know God is speaking. When God repeats something over and over again that means it is important and we need to listen!

I’ve been thinking a lot about a verse from 1 Peter. It literally pervades my mind! And I find myself saying it over and over as I go about my day.

ABOVE ALL, LOVE EACH OVER DEEPLY, FOR LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS.

1 Peter 4:8

And because it seems to be stuck in my mind, earworm style, I’ve had lots of time to ponder on what it means and how I should work this little verse out in my life.

About Love

God tells us through David to…

HIDE YOUR WORD (God’s Word) IN MY HEART SO I MAY NOT SIN AGAINST YOU, Ps 119:11.

And 1 Peter 4:8 has bubbled up from my soul into my head. It has been hidden in my heart for such a time as this.

Love is the heartbeat and song of an authentic Christian! Or at least it should be.

We are marked out from everyone in the world by our love for others.

Ephesians 4:2-3 tells us to…

WALK IN THE MANNER WORTHY OF THE CALLING WHICH YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED.

And we have been called to love. It continues…

SHOWING FORBEARANCE TO ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE.

And Jesus said..

THIS IS MY COMMANDMENT, THAT YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER, JUST AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.

Selfless Love

This love is no ordinary thing. This is a very special love. In Greek, it is the word Agape. It denotes a selfless love. A sacrificial love. A love that is for the good of others, even to the point of denying ourselves. The word literally means to “prefer”. In other words, to prefer others.

The love in the bible is not attainable by human means. We do not have the capacity to be that selfless! However, it flows from true Christians by the power of God alone!

So what does LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SIN mean?

An Embarrassing Story

Years ago, I sang in our church’s Christmas Cantata. Right before the service began, I ran to the bathroom. When I returned to the choir room, we were lining up to go into the church. So I got in line, and the lady who stood next to me came up so so close behind me that she was literally draping herself on me.

I turned around surprised and a taddy bit annoyed, and she whispered in my ear, “Yvonne, you tucked your skirt into your pantyhose”! She literally was covering my butt! We laughed so hard but very quietly together!

I have not thought of this embarrassing story for decades! But along with LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS, this story came to mind as well. LOVE covers others’ butts, to be blunt!

Our Nature, God’s Nature

It is our human nature to want to gossip or say unkind things about those who hurt us. Or pass on tales that are unbecoming but true about another.

It is the work of Christ in our lives that trumps and has victory over our human nature! We can, through the power of the Holy Spirit, cover the sins of others by not speaking about them to anyone. And forgiving any hurt others have caused us.

About Covering

I love the idea of “covering”. In this verse, it means to hide or to dig a hole and put something in it. The Greek word for cover has the idea of keeping something secret. We cannot forgive the sins of others. Only Jesus can do that. But we can protect someone’s character when it would be so easy to do it harm. We can cover their butt!

We are to love others enough to keep their character intact even when they mess up! This ties into something Jesus said as He was teaching…

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF Mark 12:31

Other Verses

My mind, like a computer, has been cross-referencing so many verses that support the idea of covering another’s foibles…

HATRED STIRS UP CONFLICT, BUT LOVE COVERS ALL WRONGS Pro 10:12

SET A GUARD, O LORD, OVER MY MOUTH; KEEP WATCH OVER THE DOORS OF MY LIPS. PS 141:3

OUT OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART THE MOUTH SPEAKS Luke 6:45

God Speaking

Yes, this scripture earworm has been playing for a few weeks now, and I know God is speaking to me!

The next time someone’s butt is showing, Lord, let me be filled with Your love and cover it! Amen!

Meditating On God’s Word

This week, I’m meditating on…

Above all, love each other deeply, for love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

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Have a blessed Sunday, Friends!