PROVERBS 17
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their fathers.
7 Fine speech is not becoming to a fool;
still less is false speech to a prince.
8 A bribe is like a magicstone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
wherever he turns he prospers.
9 Whoever covers an offense seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.
– Proverbs 17:6-10
PROVERBS 17 ON COVERING AN OFFENSE
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Love is patient, kind and doesn’t give up
It is not easily offended and slow to react
To cover an offense is a manifestation of love
Those who do not love, holds on to faults
When one covers an offense, he shows forgiveness
When one holds on to offense, they are unrighteous.
One of the hardest things to do is to let go of offense. Because we are fallen people and have inherited sin from Adam and Eve, we automatically get offended. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he described what the way of love. It is very different from how the world defines love. He says that the way of love manifests patience, kindness, humility, doesn’t hold on to wrongdoings, forgiving, rejoices with truth, believes all things, endures all things and never gives up. The world’s way on the other hand is the opposite. It is quick to react, harsh, arrogant and hides the truth, easily gives up and focuses on the self.
Covering an offense is a loving manifestation of a forgiving heart. When we let go of offense and focus on forgiving, we close the doors to Satan to eliminate us from being his prey that he can devour.
REFLECTION
- Why is it important to cover the offenses that others have committed to us?
