The LOVE chapter in the Bible tells us that “love believes all things.” What does this mean?
Here’s what it looks like in real life:
When I meet someone…
- I assume they are honest and genuine.
- I believe what they tell me is true.
- I respect their humanity.
- If they tell me they’re a Christian, I assume their relationship with Jesus is real.
- I recognize that they are made in the image of God.
This is regardless of how they look or dress. I’m going to believe these things about them unless their behavior over time shows me differently. I will not rush to judge them by their appearance or ethnicity or social status or education level or church denomination or other surface level things.
But many people who call themselves “Christians” act exactly the opposite of this. They are always searching for fault in others. They believe that anyone who looks different than them or goes to a different kind of church is bad. They instantly judge others based on appearance. They assume anyone who disagrees with them about anything is wrong. Do you know “Christians” like this?
People like this are suspicious, judgmental (without evidence), and hateful. They rush to hate and judge, not love and forgive. This is a hate-filled, narcissistic attitude. It is the opposite of love.
THIS IS LOVE:
4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. 5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, 6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
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