Today’s Reading: Proverbs 17
Personal
relationships are delicate things. To maintain healthy friendships takes an
intentional effort. Depending on your experience, you may wonder if healthy
relationships are even possible. There’s a lot of brokenness in the world. Are
good, solid, joy-filled relationships even possible? Yes. The Bible makes that
very clear. When God created human beings, He made them relational beings. His
intent was for us to have wonderful, God-honoring relationships.
Every
good relationship requires love, humility, service, patience, acceptance,
affection, and forgiveness. Unfortunately, every one of us is infected with the
disease of sin. As a result of our sinful nature, we can veer off the course of
healthy relationships and can, at times, cause offense to others – even those
we are closest to. This is where Proverbs 17:9 comes in – teaching us that in a
true, healthy relationship, the loving person will “cover” the offense
of the one they love. The word “cover” in this verse means to conceal; hide;
cover up. The lesson here is that there is virtue in keeping someone else’s
sins to yourself rather than “repeating” them to others. Being a telltale
gossip does nothing but degrade relationships and end friendships.
The greatest example of this type of
love is found in our Heavenly Father. He, out of His deep love for us, has
chosen to cover our offenses and sins. Psalm 32:1 says, “Blessed is he whose
transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” This is the same Hebrew
word for “covered” that we find in today’s verse. Think about that! God has
chosen to conceal and cover up your sin with the blood of Christ rather than allowing
you to be separated from Him! Oh, what love the Father has for us.
God covers your offenses because He
seeks love and a relationship built on love with you. And it is our call as His
children to do the same for others in our lives. Is there someone who has
offended you? Is there a relationship that has been spoiled by another person’s
sin or mistake? Do you know someone whom you should forgive? Do it now. Take a moment
in God’s presence and bring that person (or persons) to His attention. Tell Him
you want to be like Him, forgiving transgressions and covering past sins. Then,
from your heart, forgive that person.
If you’ve furthered the damage to your
relationship by repeating the matter to others, take another moment to ask God
to forgive you. If you ask, He will grant it. Then, if the situation warrants,
go to your friend and ask for their forgiveness as well. Whoever covers an offense seeks love.
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