1 Peter 4:8-9-The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Think about someone close to you, that you actually fight negative emotions, so you can keep loving them?  Like most mothers with their children, I remember my mother being so angry with me, yet couldn’t help but forgive me, though she wanted to stay angry!  Having a such a fierce love, can overcome peoples sins and dysfunction and keep a relationship defined in love…

The apostle Peter is encouraging Christians to recognize how they are to interpret life.  That as Christians, what affirms our union together is that we walk in the love of Christ.  To live in any strife, that keep us from walking in love, not only points to our lack of understanding of the gospel, but also a lack of love to affirm our profession of being a Christian!

Many times people can make us so angry, that we don’t want to forgive nor bear with them at all, “naturally”.  But more powerful than a mother’s love for her child, to compel her to forgive, is the eternal power of the Holy Spirit that compels to love (2 Corinthians 5:14)!  The moment we are determined to live in strife, we have said no to God, and yes to a hard unbelieving heart that no one can benefit from, ourselves especially!

When love is something we don’t fight to keep “above all things”, every religious thing we do is in vain, no matter how proud we or others are of it (James 1:22-27).  Eventually without love, you will keep strife going, because hate and division is the only alternative.  We then live like the world, with no difference other than we attend church…

In His Love, Ld