The truth about love that covers
We are still working with the first phrase of the popular 1 Corinthians 13 passage: Love suffers long and is kind. As we build out this phrase for life application, we learn about the covering of love. [See the blog entitled “Love Plumps Up” from 12/17/12]
Today, consider Proverbs 17:9—He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.
Uh oh! Yes, we’re going there. After the word study, we get this (or something similar):
He that conceals a sin desires love; but he that perverts or duplicates a matter spoken of severs familiar associations.
This suggests a few things about covering another with love (God’s love, mind you).
- Covering means not repeating.
- Covering is an act or demonstration of love.
- Covering unifies while speaking separates.
- Covering is not ignoring, but it is a choice to show love because a transgression could be toward me, directly affect me, and/or hurt me. To cover it is to deny myself.
- Covering is true humility, and in some cases, it is extreme humility [See Abigail’s Call]. It is when I give up my right to accuse, judge, or be right.
- Covering voluntarily removes perceptions and opinions, and acts through love.
- Covering is a vehicle to get love to another and to receive love.
- Covering requires me to trust God.
- Covering forces me to be accountable to myself about my real feelings and thoughts. There is no escape, but an opportunity for growth, wisdom, and healing.
This is a body ministry! While I cover you there should be someone in place to cover me. The truth is, however, that we have some siblings in the faith who are more in love with judgment and exposure. They talk too much and want to see failure and public rebuke more than one restored. Kingdom Queens change the paradigm.We have the influence and ability to change the order by quieting the chaos.
Covering helps us maintain integrity, keep us aware of our own transgressions toward God. It keeps us going back to the Father to scrub our hearts, to fight against a bitter root setting in, to be present in the grief and questioning until we can accept the sufficiency of His grace. Love God’s way is on the highest order, and He’s placed this kind of love in us…and we’re still just on longsuffering and kindness!
Let’s pray: Father, keep up as we move ahead through sticky situations and hurts and even memories to love like you. Help us to cover. Give us creative ways to change the subject when someone comes to pick us for information or tries to dig up what you’re healing and separating from us. Teach us to cover like You. Teach us to trust You to fight for us, whether we see the discipline or not. Thank you for teaching us Your way of love, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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The Bereans' Commentary with Shaunta D. Scroggins, Ed.D. 
Very nice These should all be made in to a book!