“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offences.” – Proverbs 10:12
Scripture readings: Proverbs 10:12; Proverbs 19:11
“Love covers all offences” (Proverbs 10:12b) does not justify sinful cover-ups. It is sinful to be a judgmental faultfinder who wants to pick fights. It is just as sinful to ignore or cover up the sins of others, based on misguided love and loyalty (see Proverbs 28:13).
“Love covers all offences” tells us that the posture of love is patient and gracious, not nit-picky or quick to take offence. “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offence” (Proverbs 19:11). If we make an issue of everything about others that we find irritating, flawed, or mildly offensive, we will be impossible to live with. If others relate to us this way, we will always walk on eggshells.
You ask someone a question and the answer comes back slightly snarky. You realize this person is stressed out or having a bad day, so you overlook her response and ask how she is doing instead. In addition, love doesn’t bring up past offences when they’ve been addressed, forgiven and buried (see Proverbs 17:9). This is what “Love covers all offences” means.
But love goes further. The word ‘covers’ is also found in Psalm 32:1. “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” God loves us so much that He covers our sin when we confess it. It cost Him the precious blood of His Son to do so. When we love others, we desire the same for them.
Suggestions for prayer
Thank God for covering your offences. Ask Him to help you overlook and forgive the offences of others.
Pastor Richard Zekveld, his wife Nancy (nee Vandermeer), and their five children live in South Holland, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Richard has pastored Covenant Fellowship Church of South Holland (PCA) since 2015, he also works part-time in jail ministry as a chaplain for Chicagoland Prison Outreach. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.
