Love Bears All Things

1 Corinthians 13:7 (ESV) Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (emphasis added)

I love you. 

Looks straight forward. Three words. A subject, a verb, and an object. It has a period for punctuation so we know it is not a question. But should it be? Some have never heard these three words or read them. Some hear it so often and have no idea what love is. What does love mean?

The Apostle Paul looks to Jesus in defining and demonstrating exactly what love is.

Philippians 2:4-11 (ESV) Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

Love is a verb, it is an action. Paul speaking to the Corinthians wrote, “Love is patient and kind.” He addresses this letter to the Christian Assembly after discussing spiritual gifts. He acknowledges that while gifts pass away, love endures.

After sharing what love is, Paul shares what love does. He lists several things but one that is of particular interest is “love bears all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7). The word “bears" in this context means to cover over with silence and also to suffer. It’s used in two New Testament letters to the Corinthians and Thessalonians both times with Paul addressing the Body of Christ.

Paul uses the word each time in reference to his love for others and the harm that he was willing to endure so that the Gospel of Christ would not be hindered. He readily endured ill repute for the sake of the Corinthians, Thessalonians and more to hear the Gospel. 

Paul’s actions epitomize the words of Jesus here in Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV) “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Many missionaries face obstacles just like Paul did regularly. However, Christ's words are to all, not only those traveling to other countries to spread the Gospel. It’s to those traveling to work on a crowded train. It’s to those heading to school where they have no Christian friends and have chosen to walk the narrow path. It’s to those who have retired or have irregular schedules and will speak to a vast amount of different people and backgrounds. It’s to you and me.

Christ calls us to love others. Paul even encouraged the Galatians to “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (6:2, ESV). Let’s follow the command of Christ and bear one another’s burdens and love our neighbor as ourselves every day. Pray with me as we ask God for help.

“Lord, thank you for your love for me. You are big and great. Your love for mankind knows no bounds. You showed this when you sacrificed your Son so that I could have a relationship with you. Thank you for this sacrifice and for new life in you. Lord, please help me to love you first. And God help me to love others as myself. You love people so much that you made a way to have a relationship with them. You, too, want me to have a relationship with them and honor you in it. Not to be an island, not for me first, and not for just you and me. No, Lord, you desire for me to be in community and to be in relationship with others. God, please help me to love others, bearing others' burdens, and giving them to you. Help me to represent you in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Thank you, Lord, for your help and for allowing me to honor you in this way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”