Day 9 – Love Bears or Endures All Things

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NKJV).

As Paul continues giving us the characteristics of agape love in First Corinthians 13, he moves to the next four points in his message. He explains to the Corinthians (and to us) that genuine agape love “bears all things, believeth all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (v. 7). The eleventh point that Paul makes in this wonderful text is that love. The word “beareth” is the Greek word stego, which means to cover, as a roof covers a house. Built within the word stego is the concept of protection, exactly as a roof protects, shields, and guards the inhabitants of a house from exposure to the outside influences of weather. The roof of a house is designed to shield people from storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, rain, hail, snow, wind, blistering hot temperatures, and so on. This protection is vital for survival in most climates, preventing people from either freezing to death or burning as a result of continual exposure to sunlight. By using this word stego (“bear”), the apostle Paul is giving us a powerful illustration. First, we must understand that there are many different seasons to life, and not all seasons are pleasurable. In fact, some seasons of life are very stormy and difficult. There are moments when external circumstances assail us from without. If we have no shield to guard us during these stormy times, it becomes much more difficult for us to survive spiritually. “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” 1 Corinthians 13:11-13 (NKJV).

Paul lets you know that agape serves like a protection for you. Like the roof of a house, a friend who moves in the agape love of God will stay near in times of trouble. That friend will hover over you to protect you from the storms of life. Rather than expose you and your flaws to the view of others, a person who operates in this kind of love will conceal, cover, and protect you, for real agape love is always there in times of trouble to lend support. The phrase “bears all things” comes from a Greek word meaning to cover and is related to the word indicating a roof, or a covering that offers protection from the elements. Love guards against resentment, anger, and discouragement. It isn’t critical, negative or undermining. Love doesn’t look for every fault or point out every shortcoming; it doesn’t complain, quibble, or criticize. Love doesn’t attack rather it protects; it doesn’t expose it rather covers; and it doesn’t neglect rather it draw near. It chooses to overlook, rather than expose. Because we love, we accept the failures and shortcomings in others, defending their character within the limits of truth and giving up our right. Love bears all things; it doesn’t desire to seek revenge or justice. Instead of focusing on the faults, imperfections, or mistakes of each other, love chooses to focus on the positive and the good. “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” Philippians 4:8 (NKJV).

Bearing all things requires sacrifice and selflessness, which is nothing short of Christ in us. Love bears the pressures, faces the trials, and does not give up. In addition to the trials that come in life, we will face many temptations. The enemy of our souls would love nothing less than destroy the love within our heart, so that our families can be torn apart, and our characters can be degraded. We must be on guard, ready to protect from whatever strikes. When attacked from without, love acts as a shield, keeping out the threats, not allowing them access to the person or the relationship. Like a roof keeps out rain or walls protect from wind, love is a shelter, a guard or defense; it bears all manner of danger from without and from within. Divine love bears with us because it is bearing us along. Accordingly, if we are secure in the Savior’s long-suffering love, we will not simply put up with our fellow believers. When it comes to Christianity, it doesn’t really matter how you start but how you finish. He was echoing Jesus’ words: “The one who endures to the end will be saved.” Endurance through trial is one of the greatest gifts of faith. We only persevere in our faith because Jesus “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.” Is our love a load-bearing love? If we bear with others and believe the best about them, then cynicism will be a stranger to our lives. “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NKJV).

To say that all of creation, all of redemption, all of history hang on these two great purposes: that humans love God with all our heart, and that from the overflow of that love we love each other. Which means that love is the origin and the goal of the Law and the Prophets. It is the beginning and the end of why God inspired the Bible. It’s the fountainhead and spring at the one end, and the shoreless ocean at the other end of the river of redemptive history remembered and promised in the Word of God. Finally, the Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:7 that love endures all things. It tolerates wrong accusations. It endures insults. It endures, with joy, the scorn of the world. It learns to press on even when it is overcome by its own sense of guilt and shame because it sees beyond the present to the crown Christ holds out. Biblical endurance is therefore a helpless holding on, by faith alone, to the Savior who is holding on to us all the way through. As you look into the mirror of God’s Word and examine the characteristics of agape love, can you say that this kind of love is operating in your life? Would others say that you have been a “roof” for them: protecting, covering, concealing, and guarding them during the hard and difficult seasons of life? Would others say you believe the best about people, or that you tend to be nit-picky and critical of others? Have you made the decision to “stick it out,” regardless of how long it takes? “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV).