Jump Start # 1289

1 Corinthians 13:7 “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

  We wrap up our look at some of the statements from the “love chapter” of the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13. These words from Paul were not intended to spark the romantic flame in marriages, but build bridges between brethren that were torn down by pride, jealousy and division. Sometimes, often times, in the midst of disputes, whether at home, or among brethren, we forget the big picture. We forget that we are on the same team. Satan loves for us to fight each other because that takes our attention off of what we ought to really be doing.

Our verse today, wrapping up Paul’s description of Biblical love, is some of the more positive thoughts in this section. He has defined loved by showing what it is not. Now he shows what love is. Four statements. Each ending with “all things.” Bears, believes, hopes and endures—all things. The first and the last, bears and endures, are very similar. The middle two, believes and hopes, are very similar.

Love puts up. It puts up with inconveniences. We see this in marriage. Standing before the preacher we vow at our wedding to love in sickness and health, riches or poverty, good times or bad times. The thing is, those are not choices. We don’t pick the health, riches and good times but skip the others. They come together. It’s called life. Taking care of your mate who is sick in bed with the flu is not what we call “precious memories,” but we do it because that’s what love does. Now applying this thought where it was intended, among brethren, we put up with those little things that irritate us. He is not implying putting up with wrong things. We do not tolerate sin. We do not put up with wrong attitudes, we change those. However, there are those many, many things about each other that can bug us. The guy who sings so loud but he is always off. Love bears. The guy who always says the same thing in every prayer. Love bears. The person who shakes your hand in a weird way. Love bears. Bearing is very similar to patience. This is what love does.

Love believes. Love hopes. Love thinks the best, not the worst. Love is not suspicious. Love is not doubting. Love is optimistic. Love is wanting the best. The way some talk, you’d think that they want others to fail. You get the idea that they are always thinking the worst. Innocent before proven guilty doesn’t stand a chance with these folks. That’s not the way love operates.

These words describe how we think and treat one another. It’s no wonder that division thrives in some congregations, because of the way people think of one another. What’s missing is love. They are not thinking the best of one another.

Now can we do better in the love category? Maybe our marriages need it, but especially we need it within our congregations. Instead of a spirit of trying to get rid of some people, we need more love and patience. Instead of trying to turn everyone into me, we ought to be trying to get them to be more like Jesus.

Love keeps us from being so picky with one another. The judgmental eyes criticize how we are dressed, where we sit, what we do, how we sing, who we sit with, how our hair is combed and on and on. Pick, pick, pick. The stares. The whispers. The shunning. It’s enough for some people to go else where, and they often do. It’s enough for some to declare that Christ doesn’t dwell there, and they are nearly right. Love doesn’t do that.

We must remember two important things:

First, God loves them. If God loves others, I best. They may be quirky in my book, but God loves them. Back off. Give them a break. See the good in them. Love bears, believes, hopes endures.

Second, God loves you. I expect in God’s eyes we are a bit quirky ourselves. We don’t see it that way, we never do. We tend to think of ourselves as varsity material when in fact it’s a wonder that we are even on the team. Love bears, believes, hopes and endures—even to us.

So, I need to love my church family. I need to know them. I need to connect with them. They are great people. They are the best people on the face of the earth. They are God’s people. Perfect? No. But neither are we. They love the Lord and they want to do what the Lord says. That’s amazing and something to be thankful for. Sometimes, especially for us preachers, it seems that we are never satisfied with what the church is doing. We are always pushing, driving, and “on their backs,” about something. Maybe we too, need a good dose of love for them. Love bears, believes, hopes and endures.

For a troubled Corinthian church, those four expressions, would go along way in building bridges in their relationships. Those words would make them realize that they are not to be fighting each other, but locking arms in the greatest fight of all, against Satan. Together, use each other’s talents and strengths. Together, help each other. Together, support, defend, and LOVE each other. Those things would help them.

I think those things would help us as well. Sly Stone had a great song many years ago, “We are family, all my brothers, sisters and me.” That’s it! That’s what we are, we are family. And what a wonderful, wonderful family it is.

Love is…

Roger