A Simple But Forcible Contrast
"Hatred stirreth up
strifes: but love covereth all sins." Proverbs 10:12
Hatred is the selfish principle
of an unregenerate man. It may be varnished by religion and smoothed by
hypocrisy; but it is a subterraneous storm, continually stirring up mischief
and evil. Hatred creates or keeps alive carnal strives. It causes coldness. It
creates disharmony. It stirs up "envyings and evil surmisings."
Hatred carps at the least infirmity in others, and aggravates the least fault.
Hatred resents the most trifling offence. It is provoked by the least imaginary
wrong. "An ungodly man diggeth up evil." Such strifes are kindled
to the dishonor of God. They mar the beauty of the gospel. Let us resist
this evil of--the old man by watchfulness and prayer; "and grieve not the
Holy Spirit of God."
Love is the fruit, of the
Spirit. It covers a multitude of evils. Let us study I Corinthians 13 in
all its detail, and make it the pattern for our lives. Let this be the mirror
of our hearts and the standard of our profession. Love covers, overlooks, to
avoid forgives, and forgets. Love invents reasons to avoid strife. Love
puts the best possible construction on doubtful matters. Love seeks unity and
agreement. Love does not rigidly examine a brother's failures. It will not
deliberately expose a brother's faults. It refuses to uncover the sins of
another.
To refrain from gross slander, while leaving room for
needless and unkind doubt, is not covering sin.
Nor is the “seven-times forgiveness" the true standard of love.
Love, like its Divine Author, covers all sins. Who among us does not need
the full extent of this covering? What is our brother’s all against us,
compared with our all against God? Can we hesitate to blot out our brother’s
few dollars who look for a covering for our debt of ten million dollars to God.
Let us imitate Christ’s spirit of forbearing, forgiving, self-sacrificing
love – “Even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” “And above all things have
fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover a multitude of sins.”
Don Fortner