In the same way that seemingly minor attributes of a person’s character or physique can become attractive to another person, people can adopt a disfavourable attitude towards the attributes of someone whom they do not favour.
A work colleagues laugh, the hairstyle of someone you know in church, there are so many things we can identify and dislike in another person if we do not favour them. A small spot on someone’s nose can become like a mountain with people that we don’t like.
It is human nature that we identify all the things that we like and find attractive with the people we favour, whilst simultaneously turning a blind eye to the little imperfections they have. Similarly, we tend to identify and pour scorn upon those minor imperfections that people have, if we do not favour them, whilst ignoring the good qualities that they have. The love of God can accentuate the good attributes of a person’s personality and physical looks, and at the same time, cover up the things which are not so appealing.
It is an aspect of love to cover up, and ignore, those things which are not so favourable, even to the point whereby we don’t even notice them, whilst if we do notice them, we certainly don’t let them bother us.
8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."
1 Peter 4:8
8 Above all continue to love one another fervently, for love throws a veil over a multitude of faults.
1 Peter 4:8 WNT
7 [Love] bears all things…
1 Corinthians 13:7
7 [Love is] always slow to expose…
1 Corinthians 13:7 Moffatt NT
Actually, the love of God can take things a step further to the point were we can actually find something interesting or enjoyable about a person, which we would normally not even notice or we would even dislike. This is something that often happens in romantic relationships. Say for instance, you could fall in love with someone who feels insecure about themselves; as a result, he or she regularly fishes for compliments. Without love, this little character flaw could become rather irritating, but with love, it could be seen as rather sweet and endearing.
When God’s love influences the way we perceive things, we see imperfection covered by His perfection. Therefore, we cannot help but accept or even delight in the faults of others.
It can be quite an unpleasant surprise when a person falls out of love with someone they were once close to, without love, they suddenly see that person for who they really are. All of a sudden, those things that the person accepted or even delighted in become highly noticeable and are likely to make the person wonder why they did not notice those things before or why delighted in certain characteristics before.
God’s love not only covers, it also resists taking offence and getting angry over things. So even if a person notices something they dislike about a person, with love, it will prevent them from getting irritated about it.
Perhaps then, the ability of love to cover, is also linked to the ability of love in relation to longsuffering?
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