covering

"Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins."

Proverbs 10:12

So many of Solomon's proverbs are self-evident. He's not revealing deep hidden truths, he's just pointing out the reality of things. When we really love others we identify ourselves with them. When they're hurt, so are we; when they do wrong, we're embarrassed and ashamed for them, and more than anything, we want to see them forgiven and free and able to move on.

Knowing that, I realize all the more how God loves us. He covered our sins, not by patting us on the back and saying "That's ok," but by taking those sins on Himself, crucifying His only Son, breaking His heart over us--so that He can take us in His arms again, call us His children, and say, "Now it's ok. Your sins are covered. You are forgiven." We're free to move on--to move higher, into relationship with Him.

Romans 8:31-34 says it so well:

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."