Family

Love Covers

by Barbara Thompson Young
11/28/04
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LOVE COVERS

Proverbs 10:12 "Hatred stirs up dissention, but love covers all wrongs."

For six years, I was the child caregiver and cleaning person for my friend, Judy. During the last year of my job I stopped the heavy cleaning due to joint problems in my hands. Judy hired someone to come into her home to clean, and I took care of the children.

Not long after she hired the new girl, Judy began to complain to me about the quality of work the new girl was doing. Silently I agreed with Judy. But I felt a sense of loyalty to the cleaning girl....after all, I was a cleaning girl, too! Also, I sensed a check in my spirit to not say anything negative concerning the cleaning habits of the new girl.

One day, though, after the cleaning girl had finished her work and had left the house, I looked around and everywhere I turned I saw the evidence of her sloppy cleaning habits: smudgy chrome that should have been sparkling, bread crumbs laying on the kitchen counter, streaks on the mirrors. I spoke outloud, expressing my anger. "Why, I could have done a much better job! When I cleaned this house, it shined and sparkled from top to bottom! That does it! I'm going to tell Judy to fire that girl!"

Now, before I continue with this story, let me interject right here that at this same time in my life, I had been hungering to know God more intimately. I had strong "cravings" to know His ways, and so I had been praying, "Lord, I want to know You. I want to know your ways....teach me your ways, Lord."

As I fumed at the nerve of that cleaning girl to do such sloppy work and then take a paycheck for it, I heard it...that still, small voice of the Lord. Ever so gently, he said, "Love covers." Say what, Lord??? He said it again, "Love covers. You've been asking me to show you my ways, and this is one aspect of my character...love covers! Love does not expose the weaknesses of another; love seeks to cover them."

The truth hit me like a lightning bolt from heaven! I said, "Yes, Lord! I see! I'm so sorry!" I hurried around the house, cleaning cloth in hand. Tears ran down my face as I wiped away smudges, cleaned up bread crumbs and made the mirrors shine like new! When I was through, my heart was singing and I felt like dancing!

What a lesson in the school of the Holy Spirit! "LOVE COVERS!" And whatever we are deficient in, if we will go to our heavenly Father with a sincere heart, He will meet the need of our deficiency.

"Father, any time I am tempted to expose weak areas of one of your children, please remind me of your words... "Love covers all wrongs."

Barbara Thompson-Young