1 Peter 4:8 [NLT] ‘Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.’
DAILY READING Mark 7:14-37; Samuel 18; Daniel 11:21-45
In his book, ‘You Can Win with Love’ Dale Galloway talked about John D. Rockefeller’s ability to cover offenses with love.
John D. Rockefeller though the richest man in America in his time, was also a devotedly religious man and one of America’s greatest philanthropists. Regarding his Christian faith, Rockefeller would read the Bible daily, attend prayer meetings twice a week and even led his own Bible study with his wife. He also tried to inculcate his biblical beliefs into the practice of his business.
One day one of his executives made a mistake that cost the company two million dollars. Word of the man’s enormous error quickly spread and finally one of the other executives decided to go and talk with John D. Rockefeller about it. As he approached the oil monarch’s desk, Rockefeller looked up from the piece of paper he was writing and said. “I guess you have heard about the two million dollar mistake our friend made, well I have been sitting here listing all of his good qualities and I’ve discovered that in the past he has earned for us many times the amount he lost today. His good points far outweigh this one human error. So I think we ought to forgive him.”
In Luke 17:3 Jesus says “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.”’
We must learn to look at the fault of others through the eyes of love.
Indeed in the journey of life, hurtful things may happen to us. People will disappoint us and sometimes do annoying things, but if we allow offences to lodge in our hearts, it can keep us from God’s best. Rather we insulate ourselves from the damage of offenses by releasing God’s love.
1 Peter 4:8 [NLT] says ‘Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.’
There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love.
Every time we decide to forgive people, it is like covering that offense with a beautiful layer of love. It’s not easy to get to that place where you easily forgive people, but it is such a powerful place to be, because it frees you. Without forgiveness a man’s life will be governed by an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation. But when you release love in the place of hurt, you are actually setting yourself free from that vicious cycle. It has been said that to forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. indeed forgiveness is a gift you give yourself because it liberates you.
Forgiving others is proof that we are obeying God’s command to love. When we can love people despite their faults or wrong doings, it is evident that The Holy Spirit dwells in us. Because He is the one that sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts. And God Himself has shown us the example of how to love; Despite the many times we have sinned against Him, He has freely given us His grace, forgiving and covering all our failures and all our mistakes. No matter how many times we fail and mess up, God never gives up on us. He is ever patient and His love will never run out. And as we have freely received His love, so also let us freely release to others.
1 John 4:11-12 says ‘Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us.’
PRAYER: Lord, please help me to manifest Your love wherever I go. No matter the offences or irritations that may come my way, grant me the grace to continually release Your love rather than being offended in Jesus Name.
QUOTE :
Your attitude always determines your altitude in life. -WORDBITE 222