
Proverbs 17:9
He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
I had to read a few translations to get a good sense of this passage. The part that jumps out at me is the second part: repeating the matter, gossiping or telling others about it, keeps one from forgiving, and it is the stuff of ruined friendships. I realized I do this sometimes. If I feel I have been truly wronged, I tend to talk about it. I try not to be a gossip, but I would surely tell Tom all about it, or a very close friend. I guess sometimes I feel like I am entitled to complain; after all, I can forgive later, right? The more Christlike way to behave would be to simply let it go. That way, the original relationship/friendship is protected. There is no marinating in feeling wronged, no keeping score. I need to work on this.
Father God, you have again shown me something I need to work on. Forgiving means forgiving. The sooner the better. I will try harder. Amen
Becky, transforming
For me being able to forgive has sometimes not been easy. Many years ago something happened on my Dad's side of our family that "cut us all to the quick" as the saying goes. I was up in arms and ready to charge forth because what happened affected my Dad and Mom personally. My Dad looked at me and said "would you want me to get a heart attack over this?" Of course I said no. Just him saying that made me realize that this was not my fight to pursue. I was feeling terrible for my parents and I wanted revenge. It took me years to be able to come to a place of forgiveness but when I did…
Proverbs 17:9 We know we are loved and forgiven as often as necessary. We also know that our fault/sin is forgotten by God and not remembered. If we forgive, but can’t put away the other person‘s fault or sin, we haven’t really forgiven them. It remains in our hearts and hurts our relationship with that person. I think this is what makes forgiveness so hard for some. Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for this reminder that forgiveness is so much more than a word. Our heart must be part of it. 
Proverbs 17:9
I suspect we have all had the unpleasant experience of being in the middle of a dispute between two friends, neither of which seems to be able to let it go. Both bitterly complain to you and in the worst case scenario you develop ill feelings about both. Three friendships are wrecked instead of one. Resentment and complaining spread like mold over bread, ruining everything in its path. An act of forgiveness, even if difficult can prevent that kind of creeping destruction.
Prayer - Loving God, lead me to be a promoter of Your love by being quick to forgive and slow to recite to others wrongs done to me. Move me to act in a manner that…
Proverbs 17:9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense.
Barbara and I discussed what she wrote this morning about gossiping, which is the part of this verse that jumps out at me also. Fostering love is the basis for forgiveness. Loving your neighbor allows you to forgive an offense (and as Becky said) doing it quickly, without talking to others about it, is God’s message to us.
Dear Lord, what I think of as “small talk” leads to talking about others and the things that they say or do that seems wrong to me. Help me to eliminate those thoughts from my conversations and to talk about the good that others do. Amen.
Proverbs 17: 9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
Silence is golden. Gossip destroys friendships. I should never get caught up in the gossip mill. If I can’t say anything good about a person, I should not say anything at all.
Dearest Lord, how many times did I get caught up in gossiping? Thank you for showing me the way and helping me overcome this weakness. I Jesus name I pray. Amen.