Love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:8, NIV

King Solomon wisely admonished, “He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends” (Prov. 17:9, NIV). One of the definitions for love given in the New Testament is that, “Love does not delight in evil. . . . It always protects” (1 Cor. 13:6-7, NIV).

One of the greatest failures in the Bible was the apostle Peter. His most notorious moment of sin was when, after vowing that he would die for Jesus, he actually denied ever having known Him. And he denied Him not just once but three times. Yet God, in His mercy and grace, restored Peter so completely that he was given a prominent leadership position within the early church, opening the door of opportunity for the Gentiles to receive the gospel. And Peter, who understood the shame of failure and the humiliation of sin, encouraged Christians to “love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

Blessings,