Bible League: Living His Word Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.— Proverbs 17:9 NIV Life is full of hurts and offenses. They happen on an almost daily basis. Even close friends can hurt one another. A careless word spoken here or there can do it. Teasing taken too far can do it. Forgetting something that shouldn't have been forgotten can do it, too. It doesn't take much to hurt someone. Then, before you even know it, someone gets offended and an argument ensues. Sometimes, despite the best efforts of those involved, trust and confidence are lost. Given the sinful and broken world we live in, hurts and offenses are going to happen. What can be done about it when they do? Sometimes, you have to do what our verse for today says you should do. You should foster love by covering over an offense. Instead of repeating the matter, instead of bringing it up over and over, you should lay aside your pride and forgive the offense. If you want to keep the relationship, if you want to keep a close friend, then sometimes you're going to have to "cover over" insensitive things said or done. The devil will tell you to save your pride, but does it really matter that your worth and value be upheld every time? Insecure personalities can't let hurts and offenses be forgotten. For the sake of the relationship, for the sake of love and the greater good, we must heed the proverb by patiently suffering the slings and arrows of their insensitivity. When you cover over an offense, it doesn't go unnoticed. Besides saving relationships, you uphold your reputation with God and with man. Living as a testimony of God's kingdom is what we are called to do, so that we may add to the kingdom daily. God promises to bless the obedience of His children (Psalm 1:1-2), and the blessings of God are worth far more than any temporary offenses you may have to suffer. Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading1 Chronicles 14, 15, 16 1 Chronicles 14 -- David's Family Grows, Defeat of the Philistines NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Chronicles 15 -- The Ark Brought to Jerusalem NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Chronicles 16 -- A Tent for the Ark; David's Psalm of Thanks NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading John 9:24-41 John 9 -- Jesus Heals a Blind Man; Pharisees Question His Authority; Jesus Affirms He Is the Son of God NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion For I know the vast number of your sinsand the depth of your rebellions. You oppress good people by taking bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts. Insight Why does God put so much emphasis on the way we treat the poor and needy? How we treat the rich, or those of equal standing, often reflects what we hope to get from them. But because the poor can give us nothing, how we treat them reflects our true character. Challenge Do we, like Christ, give without thought of gain? We should treat the poor as we would like God to treat us. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Luke 24:33,35 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem ... and they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them.When the two disciples had reached Emmaus, and were refreshing themselves at the evening meal, the mysterious stranger who had so enchanted them upon the road, took bread and brake it, made himself known to them, and then vanished out of their sight. They had constrained him to abide with them, because the day was far spent; but now, although it was much later, their love was a lamp to their feet, yea, wings also; they forgot the darkness, their weariness was all gone, and forthwith they journeyed back the threescore furlongs to tell the gladsome news of a risen Lord, who had appeared to them by the way. They reached the Christians in Jerusalem, and were received by a burst of joyful news before they could tell their own tale. These early Christians were all on fire to speak of Christ's resurrection, and to proclaim what they knew of the Lord; they made common property of their experiences. This evening let their example impress us deeply. We too must bear our witness concerning Jesus. John's account of the sepulchre needed to be supplemented by Peter; and Mary could speak of something further still; combined, we have a full testimony from which nothing can be spared. We have each of us peculiar gifts and special manifestations; but the one object God has in view is the perfecting of the whole body of Christ. We must, therefore, bring our spiritual possessions and lay them at the apostle's feet, and make distribution unto all of what God has given to us. Keep back no part of the precious truth, but speak what you know, and testify what you have seen. Let not the toil or darkness, or possible unbelief of your friends, weigh one moment in the scale. Up, and be marching to the place of duty, and there tell what great things God has shown to your soul. Daily Light on the Daily Path Revelation 2:18 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this:Jeremiah 17:9,10 "The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? • "I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds. Psalm 90:8 You have placed our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your presence. Luke 22:61,62 The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, "Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times." • And he went out and wept bitterly. John 2:24,25 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, • and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man. Psalm 103:14 For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. Isaiah 42:3 "A bruised reed He will not break And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. 2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness." John 10:14,27,28 "I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, • "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; • and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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