Of Stones or Veils

8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint. 10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4)

We’ve heard it said that knowledge is power, but is it, really? Knowledge may wield its power for harm or healing. This is especially true when it comes to knowing the sins of others. The above verse instructs us to “Love one another fervently, because love covers a multitude of sin. I looked up the original meaning of the word cover, and discovered that it means to hinder the knowledge of a thing, to hide, to veil, to cover up. To hold back, when we are privy to information on the shortfalls of others is difficult, especially when we have been hurt by them.  Now I am in no way speaking of sins that harm other people such as Domestic Violence, child abuse, and the like.  I am speaking of personal sins.  Just wanted to get that straight before proceeding.  There are sins that must be reported immediately to the proper authorities.  This same  Word of Exhortation is also found in James 5:20, “He who turns a sinner from the error of his ways will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” Jesus is put in a situation where He is asked what to do when a woman is caught in the very act of adultery (John 8). He stoops down to the ground and begins writing in the ground. What was he writing? Being God, was He perhaps listing all the sins of all the people who stood around this woman with stones in their hands? I’ve always wondered this. Was He just doodling so that He could get His Righteous Anger, at their judgmental hearts, calmed down before He spoke? I can understand that too. No one knows why or what He wrote that day on the ground. But the words that came out of his mouth when He stood up, would forever echo throughout all the rest of History:

“He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone.”

It is interesting to note that they all dropped their stones, the oldest ones first, and soon no one was left standing there besides The Accused Woman and Jesus. In a way, Jesus veiled this woman that day. Like a Hero, He wrapped Her in a Veil and covered her sin. He protected her from the exposure others meant to bring on her. But Jesus covered her with His Perfect Love.  Let us follow His example.