1 Peter 4:7-8
But the end of all things is at hand;
therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
And above all things
have fervent love for one another,
for love will cover a multitude of sins.
Where there are people, there will be sin, that's a fact for saints and sinners.
And, where there are multitudes of people, there will be multitudes of sins.
With the multitudes of people and multitudes of sins, there should be fervent love.
Not the kind of Hallmark love that gives glossy and floral expressions once a year, not the kind of mother-in-law obligatory love that seethes beneath the surface, not the kind of social love where you express what you are expected to but don't really mean.
This love is supposed to be a fervent love, a love without ceasing that is stretched out to veil, or cover, to hinder the spread of the sin by idle tongues, accusing mouths and self-righteous hearts.
Does this mean that all sin is covered up, so the truth of the matter isn't revealed?
No.
We have other scripture that has already instructed us how to deal with serious sin in a brother or sister. We are to restore them. We are to pray for them, point the sin out and bring them back into fellowship.
Then the covering is keeping this process of displine under the wraps of love, so that the offending Christian sibling is restored unto the Lord in the way He has designed and the grief of the situation isn't exasperated by others knowing and spreading that knowledge incorrectly.
Galatians 6:1
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass,
you who are spiritual
restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness,
considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
This verse is really urging fervant love to cover a multitude of little sins, to overlook those minor faults and failures you may observe in other believers. It's loving them as they are, loving them as Christ loves them, and not broadcasting their failings to anyone but the Lord, as you go to Him in prayer.
And, as the mirror of God's holiness reflects back into your life, that same fervent love will cover your multitude of little sins.
But, as we're observing others lives, we are to be watchful in prayer, or simply - as we watch others lives, we pray.
Like a mother putting her children to bed for the night, we are to gently spread our fervent love over the sins of those around us, carefully tucking it in with prayer.
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