Love that Covers

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Gentlemen, every day is a battle. A battle for your faith, your family, and your purple. The men who stand strong don't prepare when the battle arrives, they prepare before it begins. Welcome to the men's morning devotional. Let's get into God's word. It's time to man up.

Christian Calatayud 0:26

Good morning, gentlemen. It's Christian Kaladiou coming to you with another man up moment. And gents, if you're liking it this week, we're about halfway through. If you're liking this week, make sure that you send it to a brother, an uncle, a family member, whoever it is, send it to a brother so that they can receive from it as well. We're in Proverbs chapter 10, and today's devotional is called Love That Covers. We're going to be reading from Proverbs chapter 10, verse 12, that says this hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs. It's interesting. This proverb shows up again centuries later, almost word for word, in the mouth of the Apostle Peter. Love covers over a multitude of sins. It's interesting. This proverb shows up again centuries later. Almost word for words in the mouth of the Apostle Peter. Love covers a multitude of sins. You know, when Peter wrote that, he didn't invent that truth. He learned it right here from Solomon. Solomon puts two forces side by side. And he says, hatred stirs while love covers. One agitates a wrong until it becomes a war, and the other absorbs a wrong, so it doesn't have to become war. And this verse, it it isn't pretending that sin doesn't exist. Love covers wrongs not by refusing to see them, but by choosing to bear them willingly without keeping score. And that's a very different thing than denial. It's endurance with a purpose. Gentlemen, covering sin doesn't mean broadcasting someone's failure to everyone who will listen. It means bearing it patiently instead of feeding it. Every man reading this has a relationship right now that he's choosing which force to feed. Hatred or love. A coworker who wronged him, a brother who let him down, the wife who said the sharp thing in the heat of an argument. Hatred feels justified in that moment. It always does. But man, hatred doesn't resolve conflict, it multiplies it. And the truth is, love is the only force strong enough to actually cover an offense instead of just relocating it. This doesn't mean, as men, we never address sin or never set boundaries. It means when the wrong is small and when it's already repented of, when nothing is gained by keeping the account open, a real man lets it go instead of nursing it. So here's our man up challenge today. We need to think about one grudge small or large that we've quietly been keeping a score on. And today we need to choose to cover it instead of feeding it. And that might mean forgiving out loud or letting a comment go, or simply refusing to bring it up again. Gentlemen, let love do what hatred never could. Let's pray. For covering my sin at a cost that I could never repay. Lord, would you forgive us for the grudges that we've fed instead of covered? Lord, teach us how to love the way that you have loved us, willing to bear an offense instead of keeping score. Make us men who bring peace in every room that we walk into. We love you, we praise you, and we thank you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 5:02

All right, gentlemen, you've heard God's word. Now go live it. Lead well, stand strong, honor God in everything you do. Share this devotional with another brother. Remember, every day is another opportunity to man up.