Proverbs 17:9

~ Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.

As Christians, we must always be on a quest to love as Christ loves us (amidst ALL of our imperfections and ALL of our sin). None of that fake and fluffy stuff is allowed! We won't ever achieve perfection in this area, but we must desire it from the deepest part of our soul. After all, we aren't just on a quest to love, we are on a quest to BE like Christ.

Anyway, I came across this verse a couple of months ago and it's been on my mind every day since. I'm not a scholar, but here are my thoughts:

How would you feel if you did something unrighteous only to have a personal matter spread around like wildfire -- for all to know? Even simple matters. . . like what does your four year old son think when he hears you repeating his shortcomings to your friends? Last I knew, I haven't heard Christ talking to Moses about the sins I've done. I haven't heard of Christ forgiving me then getting on the celestial telephone and talking to Abraham about how foolish I was.

How would you feel if you were a teenage girl and heard your mother telling her friends at a party the foolish thing you did that morning? I've seen that face before, and it's embarrassment! You'd probably be a mother who was unaware that you were losing (if not had already lost) the confidence of your daughter -- Hmm, like separating close friends maybe?

Our interpersonal relationships can be quite complicated if we don't live together with forgiveness and understanding. If you keep bringing up sin, you are NOT seeking love. If you get on the phone and whine about how foolish your son or daughter is being, you are NOT seeking love. If you start talking about your husband's faults to whoever will listen, you are NOT seeking love.

I hope you'll seek love with me. Pure love. I hope you will join me in forgiving even without being asked. I hope you will pray instead of blab. I hope you will choose to understand instead of stirring up strife.

(Of course, if a "Christian" spouse, family member, friend, sins and continues to sin I do believe it is advised to seek counsel from a pastor . . . NOT, however, the ladies at the beauty shop!)