Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. ~1 Peter 4:8 (ESV)
In one way or another we are all blind when it comes to our own sin. It is much more comfortable to look at what others are doing wrong than to introspect and examine ourselves. Pride is selfish love and pride always wants to cover our sin and failures and expose the ones of those around us. The Lord tells us in James 1:26 “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongue deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.” (NIV) A worthless religion is one that does not produce good fruit. It’s a spiritually undisciplined life. The bible teaches we can tell a tree by the fruit it produces. The fruit we are called to produce is referred to as the fruit of the Spirit and it is outlined in Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (AMP) By the fruit of the Spirit and in humility we are able to reproduce the unconditional love of God by loving others unconditionally. Humility looks honestly at our own sin and enables us to overlook the offenses of others. Where humility is found in abundance, people are quickly forgiven. How quick do you forgive? Do you hold a grudge for a while or are you able to let God be God in the lives of those around you? It’s easy to tell if you have learned to let God be God in your life by how quick you are to let Him be the judge of others.
God tells us in Ephesians 4:26-27 “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” (NIV) We have to get the anger and disappointment out of our heart before the sun goes down on that very same day it was planted before it takes root! Otherwise, we are opening the door to the enemy who is going to cause us to perpetuate the issue by bringing it back to our mind over and over and over again. Shut him down by letting it go and if you can’t do this by yourself, go to God and ask Him to do it in you. Have you ever asked God to help you remember that you don’t have all the answers and that you don’t always get it right? That is humility and we need to stretch ourselves to walk in it more often! We would do good to remember 1 Corinthians 1:26 “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.” (NIV) We were not the cream of the crop when we came to Jesus and we still have a long way to go, every single one of us. Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:15 “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (KJV), now that is humility coming from a man who wrote 13 books in the bible. Nothing stirs our hearts like the thought of being welcome, accepted, appreciated, and loved. Go make someone feel that way today, it covers a multitude of sins…yours and theirs.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes always perseveres. ~1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)
How quickly do you forgive? Do you hold a grudge for a while or are you able to let God be God in the lives of those around you?
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