Proverbs 17:9. Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
Have you ever been hurt or offended by a friend? Of course you have. We all have. When this happens we have two options. We can cover it, or we can repeat it.
To cover over an offense means to forgive it. To let it go. Or, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13, to keep no record of wrongs This does not mean that what your friend did to you was OK, or that it didn’t hurt you. It means, rather, that you are able to feel the pain of the offense without having to pay it back. This kind of love refuses to pays back evil with evil, but instead, pays back evil with good.
In the Old Testament, Joseph is the primary example for us of this kind of love. Do you remember his story? Joseph refused to hold his brother’s evil toward him against them. Rather he covered over it with forgiveness and grace. To be sure he tested their hearts to see if they were still evil or if they had changed. His forgiveness was set, but he knew he could only live with them again if they had changed, repented, and reconciled. The offending brothers did repent. Joseph’s older brother, Judah, especially had learned to humble himself and live a self-sacrificing life rather than a life full of jealousy.
To repeat an offense is the exact opposite of covering over it. Honestly this is what we all want to do isn’t it? When we are hurt or offended we talk to everyone else first instead of talking to the one who offended us. Maybe we’re afraid of confrontation. Maybe we desire vindication. Maybe we are petty. Maybe giving the silent treatment to the offender is our way of punishing them. Worst of all, maybe we just want the one who hurt us to look bad to others. We want vengeance.
All of this, of course, will separate close friends, as the proverb says.
Jesus is our closest friend, and Jesus has eternally covered up our offenses. He never brings them up. He never weaponizes them. He never tells others about what we did or said. He never repeats them. Every offense has been thrown into the Sea of Forgetfulness.
For sure we are offending Jesus all day every day. So how is he able to cover over our offenses like this?
Love. Christ’s love for us not only covers over all offenses, it joins his life to our offensive life. What grace! What friendship. In Christ, we aren’t just close friends with Jesus, we are one life with him. We simply cannot be separated from the love of Christ in us. He knows he is loved infinitely by the Father, therefore, he can love us infinitely out of the overflow of that divine love.
Christian, you have this same grace, this same love inside of you. When you understand, as Joseph did, that God is in control, when you trust him completely and allow him to love you fully, then covering over the daily offenses of life will become easier and easier. Let love win over pettiness. Let love conquer your need to be in control. Let love patch the wounds of your heart.
You: What do you do when you are hurt or offended? Are you a coverer or a repeater?
You in Christ: How does knowing that all of your sins are covered over allow you to cover over the offenses of others?
Christ in you: Is there an offense that you are holding on to? Can you cover it? If not go to the person and talk it out.
Pray: Father, you covered up all my sins because of the cross. Help me to use your love for me to cover over offenses, especially small things that I make into big things. Amen.
To Live is Christ 