Love Is....Protective

Love Is…Protective

Pastor Russell Henderson

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, NIV.

Love always protects.   When the bible says that love protects, it is not speaking of a secret service type of protection.  The kind of protection that would take a bullet for another.  The kind of protection this passage is referring to is centered around two words:  cover and forbear. 

1 Peter 4:8 tells us that love covers over a multitude of sins.  Does that mean that love helps to hide the sin of another?  Does it conspire with another so that his sins will not be brought into the light?  Absolutely not!  On the contrary, it means that love works even in the midst of sin.  God does not love you any more when you are good and any less when you are bad.  You may feel less loved in the midst of discipline, but His love does not waiver.  His love is constant.  God loves the sinner just as much as the most precious saint.  His mercy and grace is available to cover the sinner like a blanket, even when it is not earned.

Likewise, we should be careful to love no matter how we are treated.  We should continually strive to cover people with the love of God – even when they hurl insults and hurtful words.  This goes back to the issue of imputing sin upon the offender.  When a sin is covered, or hidden, it is invisible to the eyes of love.  The eyes of love choose to see people the way that God sees and does not continually gaze upon the sin—no matter how severe it is.

Love also forbears.  When I graduated from college I had a lot of student loans (I still do, that’s why I don’t do devotions on debt-freedom).  My first job was at a church in the inner-city of St. Louis, MO.  I was a full-time volunteer, if you know what I mean.  Since I did not receive any pay, I could not make payments on my student loans.  I had to apply for a forbearance.  That meant for the next year I would not be required to make payments on my loans.  It was not complete forgiveness, but it was a period of grace for me to get things in order so that I could eventually start making payments.  The government extended patience and grace to me.

To forbear means to withhold, refrain or abstain from.  So, when we say that love forbears all things, it is refraining from passing the judgment or punishment that sin naturally deserves.  Love’s whole purpose is to hold out hope to the offender—to give them another chance to repent and make things right.  God is continually forbearing through His love.  He pours out new mercy every day and calls the sinner to get things right.   As long as there is life and breath in the body, God will continue to be forbearing, but when life leaves, so does the hope.

Friends, as hard as it may be at times, we are called to forbear one another in love.

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; - Eph 4:2 KJV

To forbear one another takes humility (lowliness and meekness).  It means recognizing that at any moment we could fall into the same traps of the enemy.  It means recognizing that no one is greater and no one is less.  We all need the love and forgiveness of the Savior. 

To forbear one another takes patience (longsuffering), and patience is a continual process.   One may sin against you, but you forgive them in love.  They may repeat the offense, and you forgive them in love.  Jesus said to forgive continually.  And as long as there is breath you should continue to love and forgive them.   Why?  Because that’s how God is toward us.   When you choose to punish instead of forgive you are placing yourself in a higher place than God.  When you choose to withhold love, you are acting in a way that God never would act.  But when you forgive and love you are lining yourself up with the will and command of God.

In love, be patient & humble.  Forbear everyone and continue to offer hope and mercy.  Cover their sin with your love and choose to see them through the eyes of grace.