”Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.
Proverbs 10:12New International Version (NIV)
Proverbs 10:12 Devotional (Daily Bible Verse)
Love covers all wrongs
In Proverbs 10:12, the Wise Man zeroed in on love and hate as opposites. He also highlighted their opposite effects as well. That is, while hatred stirs up conflict, love covers all wrongs. And his desire was for his reader to love his/her neighbor.
Cain
Consider Cain in Genesis 4, of whom it is recorded in verse 5, that he “was very angry and his face was downcast” because God looked more favorably on Abel’s sacrifice. Therefore, God asked him: “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it (Genesis 4:6-7).
But Cain, after effectively ignoring God’s wisdom, proceeded to murder his brother. He allowed hate to rule over his heart and mind.
Love
Furthermore, for Cain to “do what was right”, he had to love Abel. But as you’ve noted, he hated Abel.
This means that when you love, you cannot hate. And when you love your neighbor, you will keep God’s law.
As a Christian, you are, therefore, called to love everyone, even your enemies (Matthew 5:44). Consequently, when you harbor hatred, you prep yourself for conflict.
The Law of God
Jesus summed up God’s law with the command; “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37), and “to love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). John the Apostle reiterated the same with the words: “For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother” (1 John 3:11-12).
It is, therefore, a tremendous blessing to be set free from hatred by Christ who died to free us from all evil. That is, if you find any hatred in your heart, you should go to the throne of God and ask Him for his love in your heart. You cannot bear the hatred and overcome evil. Love is what will “cover all wrongs.”
Prayer/Blessing
Father, when I am wronged, I get angry. Most often than not, I’m tempted to strike back in kind.
Please, set me free from these feelings. Let your Spirit influence me to love my neighbors.
This is my humble prayer in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Daily Bible Reading
2 Chronicles 25-27 (see How to Read the Bible in One Year or How to Read the Bible (for Beginners))
