Today Bible verse is – Proverbs 10:12 (ESV)

“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.”

Devotion for May 20, 2025

Some wounds don’t bleed, but they break things just the same—families, friendships, hearts.
And hatred? It sharpens every edge.

You’ve seen what it does. One bitter word, one cold shoulder, and suddenly a room turns cold. A family dinner becomes a battleground. A marriage becomes a memory.

But love—true, Spirit-birthed love—isn’t passive. It doesn’t pretend nothing happened. It just chooses to cover, not cut. To protect, not expose. To quiet the chaos instead of fueling it.

This isn’t about excusing sin or pretending the pain didn’t happen. No, it’s about walking into the fire with the heart of Christ. Remember how He covered your offenses? Not by ignoring them, but by absorbing them—on a cross.

When Proverbs says “love covers all offenses,” it’s not giving you a license to avoid confrontation. It’s inviting you to rise higher. To meet offense not with revenge, but with redemption.

That may look like holding your tongue when gossip starts. Or forgiving before the apology ever comes. Or praying for the one who made your life harder this week.

Hatred multiplies wounds. Love heals them.

And when you love like this, you don’t just stop a fight—you start a miracle.

Today, let the Holy Spirit search your heart.
Where has hate been stirring strife? What would it look like for you to be the one who covers instead of cuts?

Love isn’t weak. It’s war—with grace as the weapon.

Prayer for May 20, 2025

Jesus, teach me how to love like You. When offense rises, give me the strength to cover it—not ignore it, not nurse it, but overcome it. Help me silence strife with mercy and stop hatred in its tracks. Make me a vessel of peace in a world that feeds on division. I want my heart to echo Yours—strong, tender, and full of grace. Amen