An ugly stain taints my carpet.

So I did what any good mom would do. Scrub and clean it? No, I covered it with a rocking chair.

Company was coming, and there wasn’t time for a good scrubbing. Well, honestly, I just took the easy way out. But as long as no one moves the chair, the stain is covered from view. It is easy to overlook the mess when it is covered.

Are we as quick to cover the stains in our relationships?

When our hearts are offended by another’s sin, they are not at rest. Bitterness disrupts our joy. Hurt breeds hurt, and we subtly expose the sin time and time again.

“Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.'”

I Peter 4:8 (NASB)

Keep fervent – stretched out, earnest, intent, without ceasing

Choosing to love in a way that overlooks sin requires an intentional choice. Will you choose to be stretched for the sake of your relationship?

Because love covers – to hide, to veil, to hinder the knowledge of a thing

Covering with love requires a willingness to look beyond the hurt. Can you see beyond the circumstance and your emotions?

A multitude of sins – to miss the mark, to wander from the path

Seeing through love requires a new perspective. Do you see that the other person has wandered from the path, but they can return?

Not every hurt and sin can simply be overlooked. Many situations require much effort in restoration, reconciliation, confession, forgiveness and healing. We’re not choosing to overlook those. They are a completely different issue.

But many small sins can be covered by love and overlooked by choice.

Overlooking these small offenses will bring rest to our injured hearts.

– and if you’re worried about my carpet, I’ll clean it eventually 🙂

Today’s Seed of Rest

Choose to cover and overlook an offense.

How have you been offended lately? Choose something small.

What can you see when you look beyond that offense?

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