Together in Christ: 'Fostering Love, Not Creating Roadblocks' — Proverbs 17:9

Sunday, January 28, 2024

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Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.

— Proverbs 17:9 NLT

Key Thought

Love cannot flourish in a person who constantly harps on the faults of others. Fault-finding supplies the oxygen and wood that keep the fires of anger, discord, disagreement, hurt, and bitterness alive. [1] Spreading and listening to such fault-finding gossip corrupt both the speaker and the listener and corrupt our innermost being. [2] Most of all, hanging on to the faults of others separates us from people we need as friends and that Jesus commands us to love!

Thankfully, the love we have for others and their love for us both grow when we forgive another person's fault. Jesus demonstrated this principle when He died for our sins. Paul used Jesus' example to help Christians in Philippi mend their relationships with each other. [3] Forgiveness releases the power of the Holy Spirit to heal wounds and fill our lives with love. [4] An old country proverb I heard years ago says it well:

To forgive means setting the captive bird free
then realizing your heart was the captive bird!
[1] Proverbs 26:20, 22:10.
[2] Proverbs 18:8, 26:22.
[3] Philippians 4:1-3, 2:6-11.
[4] Romans 5:5-11; Galatians 5:13-23.

Today's Prayer

Father, thank you for giving me Your power to forgive and bringing Your healing to my relationships that were once damaged by sin, insensitivity, and unkind words. Thank You for those who have forgiven me and covered my faults with their love. I confess that my first instinct when wounded is to magnify the offense of another by holding a grudge and sharing that person's misdeeds with someone else. I have seen how this behavior damages my relationships and breaks Your heart, so I ask that the Spirit take control and help me stop and invite Jesus into my heart when I am hurt and wounded. I need Your help, Jesus, to let go of the faults of others. I want to do it with love. I don't want to blow their weaknesses out of proportion. Rather, I want to forgive them so that we both can experience the joy of Your love and the freedom forgiveness brings. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • Ephesians 4:30-32, 5:1-2
  • Philippians 4:2-3, 2:6-11

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Illustration

Illustration of Proverbs 17:9 NLT — Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.

About This Devotional

Together in Christ is a daily devotional that focuses on what Scripture teaches about godly living in relationships.

'Together in Christ' is written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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