1 Corinthians 13:7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

In Genesis 9 there is an odd tag to the story of Noah. It goes something like this… After Noah and his family got off the ark, they lived on the land, planted fields and populated the earth. One night Noah got drunk and lay naked on his bed. One of his sons found him and went and told his other 2 brothers. The other brothers then took a sheet, walked in backwards (so they wouldn’t see their father) and covered him up.

I always thought this was a bazaar little piece of information about Noah’s life. This summer I heard Joyce Meyer talk about forgiveness. She brought up this story about Noah. She asked a simple question, do you cover for the ones you love?

Love always protects. Love covers.

If I am a protecting my spouse, I want others to think the best of him. I am not going to call my mom or my girlfriend and talk all the little things he does wrong.

If I am a protecting friend, I’ll defend my friend if I hear others gossiping about her, not join in.

If I am a protecting church member, I am going to assume the best about my church leaders, not believe what one negative person is complaining about.

If I am a protective parent, I will put up boundaries for my children, even if they don’t like them.

It is human nature to take the easiest way out. It is so much easier to complain about my spouse than it is to cover him (especially if he has said something that hurt me). It is easier to let my children watch unlimited amounts of television and video games, they fight less and bother me less, but it doesn’t protect them.

Protection is work. It is an active word. The more you love someone, the more you must work to protect them. We must fight to protect that which is valuable to us.

Love always protects.