I happened upon this passage on Thursday, and I remembered something I learned that I thought was pretty interesting. This is in what’s called the wedding passage, but it’s really a great description for how to treat everyone, not just your spouse. We won’t look at the whole passage, but realize that this is talking about AGAPE love, which we should have towards EVERYONE. It’s a love based on understanding the way that God loves us, but that’s a whole different study!

The principle I want to look at is in this verse:

1 Corinthians 13:7

7 {AGAPE love} bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

The phrase ‘bears all things’ doesn’t mean what it seems to mean at first reading. It gives me a mental picture of someone patiently putting up with everything. While we should be patient, this word for bears means something entirely different!

‘Bears’ is the word STEGO, and it means literally to build a roof over something. It has the connotation of covering with silence, to protect or keep something secret. This is talking about the principle of privacy. Even when you know something negative about someone else, it is your responsibility as a Christian to keep it to yourself! Put a roof over it! It’s about keeping all things confidential.

This same principle is in these verses:

1 Peter 4:8

8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

That word covers is the same word STEGO. It is our responsibility in Christian love to build a roof over the sins of other people that we know! Not just a few of them, but a multitude of sins! But wait, it gets even worse:

Proverbs 10:12

12 Hatred stirs up strife,

But love covers all transgressions.

Now it’s ALL! So much for finding a loophole! Our attitude toward the sins and failures of other people should be to cover them up, and keep them to ourselves.

Proverbs 17:9

9 He who conceals a transgression seeks love,

But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.