Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. ~ 1 Peter 4:8 (NASB)
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Sometimes, modern translations don't quite capture the essence of a passage or concept, and this is one of them. The New American Standard Bible was originally published in 1960, and was probably one of the "modern" translations of its time, a modernizing of the ASB (American Standard Bible) which was first published in 1901. At any rate, when I look at today's verse in other modern translations, like NLT, NCV or even the NIV, they translate "fervent" as "deeply", and I just don't think that does the translation justice, with regard to how we are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ.
The Holman Bible does a better job, by saying "keep at full strength", because the word "fervent" means extremely hot, glowing, or boiling! When I read "love each other deeply", I get the sense of a quiet commitment, maybe with some tears thrown in for good measure. But to think of loving our Christian brothers and sisters like a pot of boiling water or the hot, glowing coals of a campfire? "Deeply" just doesn't say that to me. I think God, through Peter, is telling us that Christian love is to be on fire! And of equal significance is that it is intentional; hence, the verb "keep".
How many in your local church would you say you have "trouble" with, those that just grate on your last nerve, huh? Yeah, I'm sure you could name a few. I know I can, too. Well, guess what? Peter tells us to "keep fervent" in our love for them. Ugh -- do I have to? Glowing fire love for that person in my Sunday School class who always eats too much and too loud? Boiling water love for that person in the church who always comes late and leaves early, and acts like they're too good to chit-chat with anyone? Oh, Lord -- help me!
Well, that's where we need to go -- the Lord, because He can give us that boiling-up love for our brothers and sisters who don't suit us, who get under our skin. God can help us see beyond the quirks and idiosyncrasies of others, to see the soul within that He loves so dearly. Oh, and one more thing: if you're thinking you're not the irksome one to someone else, think again. We all have our quirks and idiosyncrasies that don't mesh with someone else. A humble heart and grace in abundance is needful in order to keep harmony in the family of God.
Take a step this week to bubble up with some heat the kind of love that God desires for His family. Learn to accept with open arms those who are different from you, and let God love them through you...fervently!
Love,
Joelene
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