The one sure thing about working in an office setting and handling boxes of papers and files that need to be shredded, is paper cuts. Lots and lots of paper cuts. By the of each week my hands are sore, with lots of little cuts. In addition, there is the constant irritation that comes from handling things like old paper stored in boxes. My hands are also red and itchy.
Not much I can do about the red, itchy problem except wash often in hot water, then rinse in cold and apply lotion. I found that works okay. I have found a solution to the paper cuts though, “New Skin.” New Skin is one of the products of super glue made for things like small cuts and scrapes. When I get a paper cut, I apply New Skin. It stings like heck, but it closes the cut and keeps it closed allowing it to heal.
As I was applying my New Skin to a cut last week I remembered the verse from 1 Peter 4:8: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
Love covers sins. We know that is especially true of the love Jesus displayed for us when He took our sins to the cross and received the punishment and condemnation we deserved. But love covers sins in other ways too. When I love someone, it’s like putting new skin on the wound caused by sin. It covers them, allowing time to heal from the inside out.
God gives us time to heal by the love displayed in our Savior and LORD from the wounds sin inflicted upon us …. We must also give time for the wounds of others to heal, and we can do that by loving them as Christ loves us.
