I just said good night to two littles that bring me so much love and joy. My night with them was wonderful! We made pizzas and played with Lincoln Logs. We talked about hugs and that they have two arms. Cooper, the littlest of the little, showed me this many times as he crashed into me and wrapped his little arms around me. “See, Julie, hugs have two arms!” And then a crash demo. They are so easy to love.

But not all people are, as we all know. Some people are what we call in our house “EGRs”—extra grace required. These are not the easy-to-love people. But in verse 8, it doesn’t talk about only loving the easy to love. He says, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” The first part of the verse is Above all; it’s at the top of the list of things we are called to do. The second part, love each other deeply. There are no exceptions in there for the EGRs or anyone else. It’s direct. It’s a “Just do it” kind of thing. And then the why… because love covers over a multitude of sins. Jesus’ love covered all of our sins, and we are called to love deeply to cover not one sin but a multitude of sins. Like maybe 70 x 7.

Whether it’s my sin or your sin or our sin, I’m going to make love a priority.