You ever tried to keep a fire going on a windy day? It takes some effort. You have to shield it, stoke it, and sometimes even breathe life back into it. Well, love is kind of the same way. In 1 Peter 4:8, we’re told, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

Now, Peter wasn’t saying love makes sin magically disappear. He was saying that real, deep, genuine love is big enough to cover the mess. It doesn’t keep score or hold grudges. It’s the kind of love that sees the best in folks—even when they’re at their worst. It forgives before an apology shows up, and it chooses grace over a grudge.

Truth is, people are going to let you down. They’ll say the wrong thing, forget to say the right thing, and occasionally just flat-out disappoint you. But love reminds you that you’ve been on the wrong side of that equation too. And if God’s grace is big enough for you, then you can surely stretch your love to cover somebody else.

So today, if you’re tempted to write someone off, maybe instead, try writing them in—into your prayers, your forgiveness, and your heart. Love deeply, because when the winds of life blow hard, it’s the only fire that keeps burning.