DEEPLY LOVE OTHERS

I Peter 4:8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.

Most important of all, this is a very critical part of living a holy life and being ready for Christ’s return. We must show deep love for each other. There are different ways to love. We love deeper those whom we are attached to more. What does it mean to love someone deeply?

It means first of all that we are drinking deeply from the well of God’s love for no one can love deeply without drawing it from Him. God is the substance of all love. It means as well that our capacity to love is growing. The more we are invested in God, who is love, the greater we grow in our ability to love. To love someone deeply involves intent and purpose. It means that we don’t just wait for it to happen, we make it happen. We take an interest in others and involve ourselves in their lives. We get to know others from the heart well enough so that we are quick to forgive and slow to anger. We seek to always maintain peace by setting aside our personal wants and issues when necessary.

We are to love each other deeply because when we do we are able to live in peace with each other. A heart full of love is a forgiving heart that is not easily offended. When the heart is full of God’s love, grace abounds. Forgiving each other becomes the natural thing for us to do. We let that which has been forgiven remain in the past. We extend graciousness to those who sin instead of condemning them. We look out for each other and strive to help each other move forward without the baggage of sin weighing us down. In other words, we commit ourselves to grace-filled relationships that never run dry.

Everyone needs to know that their sin doesn’t define who they are. We all need to know that we are genuinely loved and accepted unconditionally. Knowing we are loved encourages us to want to do better, to be better. Love covers over a multitude of sins.