Scripture: 1 Peter 4:8 – “Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.” (NRSVue)
What will you be remembered for? Will it be the worst things you have done, or the best things? I have noticed that we often judge strangers by the worst things they have done. This makes us see people as inherently wicked and as unchanging. Once a jerk, always a jerk.
But with people we love or public figures with whom we agree, we tend to focus on their best days, all the good they have done. We are more likely to forgive and to see them as changing for the better.
What about God? How does God judge us? Is it for the sins we have committed or for the acts of virtue and repentance we make? If we feel like God knows us and cares for us, we think God will remember our goodness, but if we feel estranged from God, we feel we are worthy of judgment and rejection.
Think about your own life. Think of some of the worst things you have done. The angry words with family members. Taking advantage of others. Ignoring cries for help. God was watching you when you did these things.
Now think about some of the good things you have done. I bet this is more difficult. First because we tend to remember bad things more than good things. I know this is true for me. But more importantly, it is because the good that we do is often much greater than the evil. We are more likely to be loving and kind through regular, unremarkable actions rather than through grand gestures, which often are more about making us feel good than they are about helping others. God sees these things as well.
Like many of the New Testament letters, the First Letter to Peter ends with exhortations of good behavior. And while it has a list of bad things to be avoided, it says, “love covers a multitude of sins,” and proceeds to speak of ways to speak for God, serve others, and be stewards of God’s grace. We are going to make mistakes, and we should recognize and avoid those mistakes. But if we focus more on the positive, on the good things we can do with our time, we will tend to bring more love than harm to the world. The more love we share, the more we begin to see each other through that positive and forgiving lens; it makes us less judgmental and isolated. So, go about your day and in your evening prayers, think about one good thing you did today. It does not have to be something big. But allow God to bless your good deeds. Feel encouraged. And look forward to more love and goodness to come tomorrow.
Prayer: Lord, forgive me for my mistakes, and help me to love you and your creation more and more in all I do. Amen.
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