Keep Your Love Stretched Out

for Nat, who has stretched out her love for me over decades.

And above all, keep your love for one another fervent… 

…because love covers a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:21-23

Stretching keeps us from injury. In my first year as a serious runner, I hadn’t learned this important lesson. I ran out the door and down the road thinking I could run the distance on my sheer motivation and dedication, my belief in the goodness of running for my health. This naïveté resulted in an IT band injury my first month. I was sidelined before I’d barely begun. I had eight long weeks to learn from a professional how to stretch my muscles so I could become the long-distance runner I’d set out to be. A year later, I was an expert stretcher and ran my first marathon.

Ultra running is a type of long-distance running defined as anything longer than a marathon, which is 26.2 miles. A standard ultra run is 50 or 100 miles. I’m no ultra runner, but one of my lifelong friends is, and she’s an inspiration. She will tell you that one of the keys to her ability to go the distance is stretching.

The Greek word used in 1 Peter 4 to describe the kind of love we should have for others is ektenēs. It means fervent, stretched out, constant, without ceasing. 

Loving others is a long-distance run. We cannot possibly expect to go the distance without stretching. #lovewell Share on X

Stretching hurts, but it hurts so good. It creates limber, lithe runners who are ready to go long on a Saturday morning when others would rather stay in bed.

Peter exhorts us, above all, keep your love for one another stretched out. Stiff, limited love causes injury and will sideline us from the beautiful goal we had in mind when we ran out the door with joy and optimism into the long road of ministry. Stretched-out love is essential for going the distance in ministry.

Cancel culture is the antithesis of ektenēs. I am often asked if I think Western nations like the United States are reverting to an honor-shame culture because of the prevalence of public shaming and canceling. Shame has indeed become in recent years a frequent response to what is considered wrong behavior, but what differentiates it from the honor-shame worldview is that this shame is bent on destruction. It is a shame without honor. There is no honorable recourse, no redemptive covering offered. Only closure of one’s reputation, position, and hope. Sometimes one’s life. This is a toxic and damaging shame and does not lead to redemption.

Peter exhorts us to not only stretch out our love but to use it to cover a multitude of sins. 

He is quoting an ancient proverb.

Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions.

Proverbs 10:12

The New English Translation notes on Proverbs 10:12 explain further: 

Love acts like forgiveness. Hatred looks for and exaggerates faults, but love seeks ways to make sins disappear (e.g., 1 Pet 4:8). (NET notes)

The Greek word kalyptō, or cover, means to cover up, to hide, to hinder the knowledge of a thing. 

At first glance, this can hit our justice button and set off alarm bells that justice will be overlooked. However, Scripture must always be read in context and understood within the framework of God’s great justice, which was served completely through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. Justice has been served, and He is not asking His followers to do anything He has not already done and accomplished. He covered our sins with His innocent death. So go ye, therefore, and do likewise. Why?

Perhaps gospel writers James and Paul will help us understand.

My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path will save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. 

James 5:19-24

 

Love never ends. 

1 Corinthians 13:8

Love that covers in the name of Jesus redeems. No other name redeems. No other love can cover sin and satisfy justice.

Love stretched so far on the Cross that it covered all our sins. The love we are exhorted to show to the world stretches so far it never ends. That is the goal, the finish line, the glorious trophy waiting for every love-runner who will go the ultra distance.

I want to be that kind of runner.

Lord, help me discipline myself to regularly stretch my love so I can run the distance. Coach me, train me, transform me into Your ultra love-runner. Amen.

@audreycfrank

Image by Irina L from Pixabay