We finally have made it to the beginning of Proverbs where there are multiple two-line proverbs that speak to different things. From Proverbs 10, verse 12 comes:
Hatred stirs up dissension,
but love covers over all wrongs.
This is something that I deal with almost every day in ministry. Someone does something to wrong another and it is held against them. It doesn’t matter how silly or meaningless the act is, it just takes one thing to set some people off and cause them to hate and be unforgiving for the rest of their lives. In the end, where does that get us? We end up being hateful and hurt as long as we carry the weight of that wrong around on our shoulders!
I used to be one of those people that held grudges, sometimes to the pointing of hating others for what they had done against me. However, through gaining an understanding of how much negative energy I stored up within myself and how easily I could learn to hate others for petty things just got me to thinking I didn’t want to live that way. It took coming to know Jesus and having the Holy Spirit convicting me of the ways of peace, but when it came upon me it was if a huge burden had been lifted from my spirit. Through that experience I came to find out that I had forgiveness in my heart for others and replaced feelings of hate with feelings of love and patience. This has served me well even with situations in my own family where I feel someone took advantage of me or disrespected me or maybe even disliked me for whatever reason. It’s just not worth it! Love covers over all things and even if it’s the other person that wronged me, I can take the responsibility to forgive them and show them I am not hateful in order for them to see that I do in-fact carry love for them in my heart.
Is there someone you stopped talking to or maybe even wished ill-will towards them because of something they did to you? Is it time for you to maybe forgive them of what they did and reach out to them again with your friendship and love? Don’t let the negative spirit of hate ruin your relationships. Experience the joy and peace of learning to forgive and love others, forgetting about the past and looking forward to the future. Isn’t that what friends or family are called to do anyways?
Related posts:
- Daily Devotion: Proverbs 4
- Daily Devotion: Proverbs 2
- Daily Devotion: Proverbs 6
- Daily Devotion: Proverbs 3
- Daily Devotion: Proverbs 22
Tags: daily devotion, friends, hate, love, proverbs 10
