Love... Always Trusts
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.
Isaiah 26:3-4 (ESV)
When 1 Corinthians 13:7 says:
Love ‘always trusts’,
‘Believes all things’, and
‘Never loses faith’...
I wondered if God was pointing to the innocent love found in little children. Because He DOES say we must become like little children to enter His kingdom.
On the other hand, God also says to…
'Test all things; hold fast to what is good' (1 Thessalonians 5:21),
'That we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ' (Ephesians 4:13).
Perhaps trusting love refers to 3 things:*
Trusting Father, Spirit, and Son (the Word) in all things at all times, no matter what.
Trusting His overriding love for us in all things at all times, no matter what.
Trusting others, as much as possible: with eyes of discernment, testing all things, seeking the best, focusing on their strengths, and choosing to remember their virtues.
Because not trusting the good in others leads us to the pitfall of fault-finding: an enemy trap called CONDEMNATION. As we fall, we pull others down with us!
Fault-finding makes our eyes dark and evil, which serves the devil’s purposes– not God's. It holds us back from self-examination, godly repentance, and loving others.**
Dream-hating and pessimism ruin other people's destinies… and our own! Never go there and avoid those who do.***
Love… Always Trusts (Part 22)
NOTE: God is my Ghostwriter. If what I write is good, it’s from God! We’re all called to be actors (action stars) for Jesus. We’re all called to models of Jesus, and we all have gifts, talents, and a commission to multiply them in the world for His glory.
P.S. NO DEVOTION, PREACHER, or SERMON… can begin to replace personal time in the Bible. I wholeheartedly and clear-headedly recommend DAILY BIBLE READING.
WARNING: Don’t focus on your favorite verses, because taken out of context, they’re often misinterpreted. I plead with you to READ AT LEAST 1 BIBLE CHAPTER DAILY. How long does it take? An average of 5 to 10 minutes!
* Two Bible Commentaries specifically related to Love Always Trusts, a.k.a. 'Believeth all things.' 1 Corinthians 13:7 Commentaries: bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
#1) 'Believeth all things--The whole scope of the connection and the argument here requires us to understand this of the conduct of others. It cannot mean, that the man who is under the influence of love is a man of "universal credulity;" that he makes no discrimination in regard to things to be believed; and is as prone to believe a falsehood as the truth; or that he is at no pains to inquire what is true and what is false, what is right and what is wrong. But it must mean, that in regard to the conduct of others, there is a disposition to put the best construction on it; to believe that they may be actuated by good motives, and that they intend no injury; and that there is a willingness to suppose, as far as can be, that what is done is done consistently with friendship, good feeling, and virtue. Love produces this, because it rejoices in the happiness and virtue of others, and will not believe the contrary except on irrefragable evidence (Barnes Notes on the Bible). 1 Corinthians 13:7 Commentaries: bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
#2) 'Believeth all things; that are to be believed, all that God says in his word, all his truths, and all his promises; and even sometimes in hope against hope, as Abraham did, relying upon the power, faithfulness, and other perfections of God; though such a man will not believe every spirit, every preacher and teacher, nor any but such as agree with the Scriptures of truth, the standard of faith and practice; nor will he believe every word of man, which is the character of a weak and foolish man; indeed, a man of charity or love is willing to believe all the good things reported of men; he is very credulous of such things, and is unwilling to believe ill reports of persons, or any ill of men; unless it is open and glaring, and is well supported, and there is full evidence of it; he is very incredulous in this respect' (Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible). 1 Corinthians 13:7 Commentaries: bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
** Matthew 7:3-5 (NIV): Matthew 7:3-5 NIV - “Why do you look at the speck of - Bible Gateway
*** Matthew 5:22 (NLT): Matthew 5:22 NLT - New Living Translation