Can't We All Just Love Each Other?
1 Peter 4:8 NIV
"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."
In my sermon this past weekend, I mentioned that when we're angry, we are more vulnerable to sin than any other emotion we could feel. Anger can lead to hatred, envy, jealousy, malice, fits of rage, and can even cause you to use your words to hurt others, spread rumors about people, or even physically assault another person. Oftentimes, when people feel deep anger, they may even turn to alcohol or drugs to cope. In turn, this could lead us down a very sinful road. However, Peter offers another route for us to take. When writing his letter, which is now 1 Peter, he encouraged the people of the church to love each other deeply. In doing so, this would protect them from potentially falling victim to sin that comes from the opposite of love: hate. While we think about this idea he has presented us with, though, we need to take a minute to understand why he might have suggested this.
It is crucial that we remember, that Peter did not make these wise words of encouragement up on his own, but he received them directly from Jesus himself while serving as his beloved disciple. In John 13:34-35, Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment, and this was to love one another as He had loved them. In doing this, everyone would know that they were His disciples. As modern-day disciples of Christ, we too are called to love one another just as Jesus loves us. In doing this, we are enabling ourselves to better live out that Christ-like life that we were designed to live. When we let hatred and anger take route in our souls, we quite possibly could fall victim to the flesh and sin. In loving one another, we are not only protecting ourselves, but we are shedding light on Christ who loves us unconditionally. So much, that He laid down His own life for us sinners here on earth.
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