Love vs. Hatred in Sin Management (Proverbs 10)

“Hatred stirreth up strife: but love covereth all sins.” Proverbs 10:12 

This verse does not promote indifference to sin but rather emphasizes having the proper attitude and response that enables one to overcome it. Stirring up in this verse means to awaken. At times, this is necessary. I may need to be made aware of some sin in my life that I am ignoring. However, in Proverbs 10:12, the motive for stirring up or awakening is hatred. The intent is not to restore but to assassinate one’s character or sow discord in a local church. This hatred may be motivated by pride, jealousy, envy, or some other emotion. It may be something that this individual is aware of and struggling to overcome yet have difficulty doing so because of gossip. There are many different directions in which this may go, none of which lead to a positive outcome. Truth, that is motivated by hatred, pride, envy, etc…. cannot produce a positive outcome. 

Concerning covering sin, the intention is not to be indifferent, but rather address sin, with love. Seeking restoration. If one is struggling with a private sin that would hurt their influence in the church and community and they seek you out for help, there is a real benefit and advantage in dealing with that sin in private. Your love for that person and love for the church and your community may be best served by putting a cloak over that and helping them resolve that in a discreet way. Not, condoning or ignoring it, but dealing with it in the best way possible. The Bible gives the church instructions in 1^st Corinthians 5 about sin that is open and intentional, a situation where one is essentially shaking their fist at GOD by doing something repeatedly with no remorse or intention to stop. That is a public situation where the approach prescribed is different. But even in those situations our motivation and attitude must be right.

In short, when love is the motivation, all sins are covered in the proper way. When hate is the motivation, we mishandle sin, and instead of properly dealing with it, we add to it, causing strife and sowing discord. Let us pursue the path of love.