Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs. Proverbs 10:12 NIV

Love is the answer. Not just any love, but God’s immeasurable, never-ending, conditional, sacrificial love. That’s the kind of love that changes hearts, brings peace, and overcomes the evil of this world.

Love covers over all wrongs. It doesn’t just mask sin and evil so they aren’t evident, but it cleanses, forgives, and exchanges wicked for good. This was never more evident that when Jesus took our place on the cross!

How can we live this wise proverb out in our lives as wives, mothers, and friends?

Contrast of Love and Hate in the Bible

I love to do compare and contrast lists from scripture. There is a very big distinction God makes between wrong and right, good and evil, and love and hate. Let’s look at love and hate.

Love	Hate	Scripture Reference
Covers wrong.	Stirs up strife.	Proverbs 10:12
Lives in the Light.	Lives in Darkness.	1 John 2:9-10
Honest.	Full of lies.	John 8:44
Values Life.	Murderous.	1 John 3:15-16
Redeems.	Condems.	Psalm 34: 21-22
Fear God.	Despise Knowledge and Wisdom.	Proverbs 1
Follows God’s Ways. (Wise, Disciplined)	Forsakes Correction. (Foolish, Stupid)	Proverbs 12:1
From God.	Of the world.	John 17:14
Loves Good. Hates Evil.	Call’s evil good and good evil.	Isaiah 5:20

What Does it Mean Love Covers All Wrongs?

Have you ever heard the phrase “two wrongs don’t make a right”? It’s absolutely true. There is nothing right about disobedience to God and His word. The only way to make anything “right” is to repent and obey.

For love to cover wrong, we must accept the love of God in Christ through salvation. We are then made clean and Christ has begun a new work in us. “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,  made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” -Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV

So, love covers all of our past and future wrongs when we accept Jesus as our Savior and forsake our sinful lives. This is the only way that love can truly cover every wrong.

The good news is that we can live like Jesus and practice love covering wrongs. How do we do this? Simple. By forgiving others as we have been forgiven. Let’s consider a few scriptures:

• But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:15 NIV
• Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8 NIV
• Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. Proverbs 17:9 NIV
• (Love) It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:5 NIV

Proverbs 10:12 told us that in contrast to love covering sin, hatred stirs up strife. Those led by the flesh are selfish and are motivated in sin to hatred or spite toward others. Hatred always causes trouble, but love looks for ways to forgive. We can forgive a person of a matter before it has time to get out of hand. Yes, it requires humility, self-sacrifice, and sometimes pain, but it is the way of our Lord.

Our pastor mentioned this scripture just yesterday and said, “What you do when confronted with the sin of some one else shows a lot of your character, who you really are inside.” He was commenting on Genesis 9: 20-23 when Ham wants to shame and mock his father, Noah, but his brothers choose to cover him and conceal the matter. This is a great picture of love covering wrongs.

How Can We Apply this in Motherhood?

As mothers, we have a daily opportunity to put love in action that covers all wrongs.

First, with our spouses. We can overlook little annoyances and sarcastic comments in order to keep peace. This not only keeps us from stirring up strife with our spouse but it models a committed and godly marriage to our children.

Second, with others. Man, people can be rude, can’t they. But, forgiveness and joy are the key. We have an opportunity to show our kids that we are going to return kindness over hate, pray for the enemy, and keep a postive attitude regardless of the behavior of others. Also, we can choose to not repeat a matter or shame others for their sins.

Finally, with our children. I know you’ve told them to put their shoes away a thousand times and the yelling at siblings is giving you a headache. However, we have an opportunity to teach forgiveness and mercy in these moments.

Don’t yell and don’t get angry. Calmly share the scriptures. Tell them you love and forgive them and expect better of them. Don’t continue to bring up the offense. Of course, I know godly discipline is necessary, but correction with the scriptures and our motivation behind it all is so much more important.

Closing Prayer

Lord, I want to love so freely that I don’t count the sins of others against them. Help me to forgive as you have forgiven me. Please forgive me when I count wrongs or respond in anger or pride. I know your way is always peaceful, gentle, and kind. Change my heart. I love you Lord and thank you for covering my wrongs. Amen.

Find more Wisdom in Proverbs for Moms devotions here.