Love Is a Canopy

 


Love is meant to cover, to be a canopy that shelters and shields the places of lack and shortcoming. Love is not ignorant of pain, weakness or betrayal. Love is not perfect and does not ignore or pretend. But love is a decision made in advance of how to respond to those failings, those places of pain.  

In the midst of instruction for living honorably and in light of the coming of Christ, Peter gives a series of instructions and admonishments of how we are to relate to one another.  After several sections of wisdom, we have this instruction:  “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 NASB  I love how it is captured in the Passion Translation:  “Above all, constantly echo God’s intense love for one another, for love will be a canopy over a multitude of sins.”  1 Peter 4:8  TPT 

Sin literally means “missing the mark” as in an arrow missing its intended target.  Places of sin are where our behavior or words fall short of the goal; where we “miss the mark”.  Love is meant to cover those places.

Love is so much greater than a feeling. Love is a choice; more accurately a series of determined choices.  Love is a decision, a pre-determined reaction.

Love is not a scale where the weight of the good is compared with the weight of the bad.  In love, there is room for both and the decision is to allow love to cover, to be a canopy over the weaknesses and failings. Love is a response to forgive and to heal. Love makes room for growth and understands that to grow there will be mistakes, pain and stretching. Love allows for change.

Love speaks with kindness and hope.

Love says:

  • I will assume the best and believe the best about you.
  • I will not demand perfection of you or of myself. We are growing!
  • When I am confused or hurt, I will ask and seek to understand you.
  • I choose in advance to allow love to cover the places of lack and pain.
  • Because I love you, I will forgive you when you “miss the mark”.
  • I will love myself and you by receiving your forgiveness when I miss the mark.
   - LOVE will be our canopy and under it, we will thrive!


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Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 19, 2023 at 12:35 PM

    Poignant ❤️

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lisa SmithOctober 20, 2023 at 7:04 AM

      Thank you for reading and commenting - May YOU be covered, protected and shielded with LOVE!

      Delete
  2. RoslynOctober 26, 2023 at 11:11 AM

    I LOVE this. No other words right now. Deeply moved.

    ReplyDelete

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