Perhaps one of the most thoroughly discussed subjects, as well as one of the most misunderstood, is the subject of love. So many books have been written exclusively about the subject that you could spend the rest of your life trying to read them all and not succeed.
Most good stories include some romantic or love interest, be it on the big screen or in your favorite novel. This love may be the one our minds go to most often. Star-crossed lovers who meet, fall in love, experience calamity which separates them, and overcome all odds to reunite and live happily ever after (in the Disney version).
This isn’t the type of love I’d like to think about right now though. The type of love I want to explore is God’s love, agape love. Unconditional love. This is the type of love that all other loves look up to with respect. They all have their moment, but agape love is timeless.
Agape love is what is being referred to in the “Love Chapter,” 1 Corinthians 13. In verse 7, this love is described.
“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
Bears All Things
“Bearing all things” already sounds like an unrealistic goal for us as humans. There are other verses in the Bible that ask us to bear with one another, but this one seems to go beyond that. What could it mean to bear all things? I could understand bearing some things, or even most things, but aren’t there things that I shouldn’t bear?
This reflects the selfless and protective aspect of love. It reflects God’s love for His creation. This love is protective, patient, forgiving, and loyal.
Protective Love: True love shields others from harm, whether emotional, spiritual, or physical. It’s a love that “covers” others, as in not exposing their flaws or shortcomings unnecessarily (see Proverbs 10:12).
Patience in Difficulty: It involves persevering through trials, disappointments, and struggles without giving up or walking away.
Forgiving and Long-Suffering: It accepts the imperfections of others and chooses to love them even when it is inconvenient or challenging.
Loyalty: It means sticking by someone’s side, even when it would be easier to turn away.
“Bearing all things” reflects the sacrificial and enduring love modeled by Christ, who carried our burdens and gave Himself up for us. Without God’s love flowing through us and into those around us, it is impossible for us to love in this way.
Believes All Things
To “Believe all things” means that love is trusting, optimistic, and chooses to believe the best about others. It doesn’t mean being naïve or gullible but rather having a hopeful confidence in the goodness, intentions, or potential of others, even when situations are difficult or uncertain. This love trusts others, sees their potential, believes that God is working in their lives, and avoids pessimism.
Trusting Others: Love gives the benefit of the doubt and assumes good intentions unless proven otherwise. It resists cynicism or suspicion.
Seeing Potential: Love believes in the ability of others to grow, change, and improve, rather than assuming they will always fail or remain stuck in their shortcomings.
Faith in God’s Work: This includes trusting that God is at work in people and circumstances, even when things aren’t perfect or clear.
Resisting Pessimism: Love doesn’t focus on worst-case scenarios or anticipate failure but looks for signs of hope and possibilities for restoration.
In essence, to “believe all things” means approaching relationships and challenges with a posture of faith, hope, and trust, while remaining grounded in truth and wisdom. It reflects a love that lifts others up rather than tearing them down.
Hopes All Things
To “hope all things” means that love is deeply rooted in hopefulness, always looking forward with confident expectation for good outcomes, even in difficult or uncertain situations. It reflects a love that does not give up but remains optimistic about the future, trusting that things can improve or be redeemed.
Expecting the Best: Love looks to the future with confidence and refuses to dwell on despair or hopelessness, even when circumstances seem bleak.
Trusting in God’s Plan: It acknowledges that God is sovereign and faithful, trusting in His ability to work all things together for good (Romans 8:28).
Remaining Positive: Love resists the temptation to be cynical or jaded and instead clings to the possibility of reconciliation, restoration, or success.
Encouraging Others: Love inspires hope in others, helping them see their potential or the possibility of brighter days ahead.
Enduring Patience: Hoping all things means holding onto hope even in prolonged trials, trusting that persistence and faith will lead to positive change.
Ultimately, this kind of hope isn’t blind optimism but is grounded in faith, trusting God’s promises and choosing to believe that love can overcome even the hardest challenges. It reflects a love that keeps looking ahead, no matter how dark the present moment may seem.
Endures All Things
To “endure all things” means that love has the strength and perseverance to remain steadfast through all circumstances, trials, and challenges. It signifies a love that doesn’t give up, no matter how difficult or painful the situation becomes. This enduring love is committed, unyielding, and resilient.
Persevering Through Hardships: Love remains unwavering through suffering, opposition, or adversity. It doesn’t waver when things get tough.
Commitment Over Time: It reflects a long-term view of love that stays true even when emotions fluctuate or the circumstances are difficult to bear.
Faithfulness Despite Struggles: Love does not abandon others when they falter or fail. It sticks with them, even when it requires great sacrifice.
Strength in Weakness: Endurance doesn’t mean ignoring the weight of challenges, but it involves drawing strength from God to continue loving when it’s hard.
A Love Like Christ’s: This endurance mirrors Christ’s sacrificial love for us, as He bore unimaginable suffering on our behalf and ultimately died so that each of us may live.
To “endure all things” is an expression of unconditional love that isn’t contingent on circumstances or outcomes. It highlights a love that is determined to see things through to the end, no matter how hard the road may be. This kind of enduring love reflects the character of God’s steadfast love for humanity.
Who Should We Love?
1. God
When asked what the “greatest commandment” was, Jesus answered “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Mark 12:30) God first loved us, and so we are commanded to love Him back. The order matters, because our first loyalty should be to God and to His will in our lives. Above all other earthly relationships, we should prioritize our relationship with God.
2. Others (Everyone)
Neighbor: Right after answering that we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, he says, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” This means our love should extend to all people we come into contact with, regardless of whether they are friends, strangers, or even people we disagree with.
Enemies: In addition to our neighbors, Jesus calls us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). This reflects a radical, countercultural love that endures even when people wrong us.
3. Family
Spouses: In marriage, we are called to love with deep commitment and sacrifice. Husbands, for example, are instructed to love their wives as Christ loved the church, laying down their lives for them (Ephesians 5:25).
Children and Parents: Love within families involves patience, perseverance, and hope as we nurture and support one another.
4. Fellow Believers
The Church: Jesus says that our love for one another as believers is a mark of our discipleship (John 13:34-35). This includes bearing each other’s burdens, forgiving one another, and striving for unity.
5. The Vulnerable
Scripture consistently teaches us to show special care and love to those in need, such as the poor, widows, orphans, and those who are marginalized (James 1:27, Proverbs 19:17).
This kind of love is meant for everyone, but it starts with our relationship with God and extends outward to all people, including those who are hard to love.
It reflects the love God has shown us and is empowered by His Spirit working through us. This love is not just a feeling but a choice and action, a reflection of God’s unconditional love for humanity.
Love In Conflict
It’s clear through study of this passage that we are called to love everyone. However, there are times when love may seem to be in conflict. Perhaps because we must prioritize the needs of one person over another, or we need to confront someone who is living in sin. Even in these cases, our love is to reflect Christ’s love, and Christ’s love requires that we turn toward Him and accept it (John 3:16).
God’s love is unconditional, but in order for us to experience it, we must choose to live within His unconditional love. Likewise, when we offer others unconditional love, they may reject that love, and therefore choose to not experience it.
Our unconditional love requires that we call each other to repentance when we find sin in each other’s lives. This is the process of Church Discipline for those who are saved, and calling for repentance to those who have not accepted Christ’s forgiveness.
When we confront people with their sin, if we are doing it with love, it will carry the hallmarks of 1 Corinthians 13:7. It will be patient and kind, long suffering and gentle. It will seek to restore all relationships into a God-honoring position in their lives and not add human requirements and rules.
There is no concept of “burning bridges” with God’s love.
Challenge: Reflect on the way you love others today. Are there people to whom you can do a better job of showing agape love? How can you love them sacrificially like Christ?