Posted on 10/10/2019 5:03:52 AM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress
“Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins” (Proverbs 10:12 KJV).
There are two places that arguments and contentions come from. Where do they come from? (1) Hatred. Hating something or somebody. That produces strife. (2) Pride. Only by pride. “Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom” (Proverbs 13:10 KJV).
Now when the Bible says only by pride, that goes to show you that pride is connected with hatred, in fact, it is easy for a proud man to hate. When somebody’s got more than he’s got, or someone does something better than he can do them tends to humble him. He doesn’t like being humbled.
Take Haman. That’s the thing that made Haman livid. Mordecai, the Jew, would not bow down to him. He had more character and more convictions than Haman did. Haman was proud, so what did he do? He developed a hatred for Mordecai to the point where he plotted to kill him. That is what causes strife—ultimately it is pride, and pride produces hatred. Hatred is just really a limb on the tree called pride. And the tree of pride has the roots of self all over the ground.
“. . . but love covereth all sins,” John 3:16 covers all sins. “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins” (I Peter 4:8 KJV).
In our own lives, we are sinful, and we do things that are wrong. I’ll tell you how to cover them up, get out there and do something right. Nobody is perfect—but charity—doing good things for the right motives, not to be saved but because we are saved, will clear the way. Even though you and I are not perfect, folks can get along with us because of the right things we do, and the good things we do. We can be glad that not all folks look at us for the bad things, though some people do. Some folks can only see the wrong in me.
“Charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” Here is an example. You don’t ever want to say anything derogatory about a man’s wife or girlfriend if he is in love with her. He doesn’t see her faults—yet. In truth, he may never. To him, she is the most perfect, most beautiful woman that God ever made. She may be a sight for sore eyes, that is, looking at her makes your eyes sore—but not to him. If that man loves that woman, you had better not tell him that she has a face that could stop a clock. What is derogatory about her is covered in his love for her. What he sees in her is what she means to him personally. Her love for him, and her sacrifices for him, only make that love stronger. No, you better not say anything to him against her.
Let’s read a chapter of Proverbs a day and see what God might have for us. As the Lord leads, share with us what God has shown you in a special way and by His grace let us build up a devotional repository. Let’s keep our knives and forks handy for some daily bread!
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