Yesterday I read, and was captured by, 1 Peter 4:8, which says,

Above all love one another deeply [or fervently, continuously] because love covers over a multitude of sins.

I’ve heard it and read it hundreds of times, but it leapt out at me, as if for the first time.

I looked up the meaning of, “covers over,” and saw that it’s a future tense verb and it was no great surprise to see that it means,

To hide, veil; to hinder knowledge of a thing

The future tense simply means that it will happen, IF one chooses to do the action. IF I choose to love deeply, fervently, continuously, then it will cover a multitude of sins.

When I put that into the verse it spoke to me in a deeper way. Read it this way:

Above all, love one another deeply, because love will hinder the knowledge of a multitude of sins.

I’m pondering the implications of that – of knowing that God loves me that way and that I am called to love in such a way, as well.

What would that look like, be like, to love that way, as a habit?

I think most of us have, or have had, difficult relationships. How would things change if we were able to love deeply and continously?

To allow love to hide from view the wrongs done? To choose to look away from pain, in favor of love, because we have been loved this way?

Wow. That’s powerful.