He hurt me. Everyone will know about it. I trusted them not to do such a distasteful thing, but what I feared most has happened.
For each of these situations, pain and anger can cover up love. Sometimes payback—instead of grace and forgiveness—is the next agenda. God wants us to forgive as He forgives us. But sometimes we are not able to go a step further when we are finally able to forgive.
Even when we let go, we are unable to cover up what has happened. We want to pay back by letting everyone know what the offender did. Seeking the best for the person who has hurt us should never elude us because we have been hurt. We should not seek to hurt or disgrace them by making sure the world knows we’re the better person in the friendship. Rather, we should cover up the wrong that’s been done to us as Joseph did.
The way Joseph handled his experience with Mary taught me a lot. He was the right man for her and for the job the Lord had for him.
One act that will hurt only for a time doesn’t have to be made into an issue that will scar the other person for life. We don’t always have to spill the beans. Sometimes we need to cover them up. We never know if we may have to come back to the offense. Doing so is difficult, but grace abounds. We may not want to cover up offenses for the offender or for ourselves, but we can do it for Jesus. He will be pleased.
Forgive and cover up every wrong with love.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Emmanuella Ellis has the desire to reach out to others using the understanding gained through the Scriptures as a tool. She has a passion for writing and pours her creativity in poems, short stories, and drama scripts. She enjoys spending time with and writing stories for children. Emmanuella is currently enrolled in a graduate program at McGill University and learning a great deal about how to spend time with God amid all the stress of academic work. She loves to spend time indoors, reading books or journals and listening to music. Emmanuella is a lover of Christ. She yearns to live each day for Him and urges others along that same path.