Always

"It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."  1 Corinthians 13:7 (NIV)

"Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (KJV)

As we continue to move through 1 Corinthians 13, we come upon this verse.  Today, I've included two versions of this verse as the second may be one that we hear most often, yet, my heart was touched by the first version.  So let's explore.

Paul continues to teach us about the depth of love.  The word protect, or bears, looks to the person we are loving.  Although that person may not act in a loving way, we will protect those indiscretions and will bear them in our own heart - not sharing them with others.  I see this as immediate forgiveness, for we are protecting that person's character and bearing their sin in our heart.  In this context, I see this as two people who love each other.  I am forever grateful and blessed that my husband loves me in this manner.  He keeps my sin in his heart, not throwing it back in my face or sharing with the world.  He bears all things!

Moving on, we come to trust - belief in the person we love.  How many times I have said, "You have my trust until you do something that takes that away."  WOW - take that statement against what Paul is trying to teach and I'm a HUGE failure!  We speak a lot about trust in our society today.  There are many powerful business books that speak to that exact philosophy of ensuring trust with others.  Often, it is discussed that once someone loses trust in you, it is hard to get it back.  Paul begs to differ.  If you have true love in your heart - you will always trust, always believe in the positive things of a person.  Self reflection moment?  It is for me!

Hope is one of my favorite words in the Bible, and in life.  Hope brings a desire for something to happen with a strong sense of trust that it will.  Isn't that where love comes in?  True love, deep love, shares a hope for a strong relationship.  Hope that is steeped in love brings ever-standing forgiveness.  This isn't easy and sometimes isn't always healthy.  If the love is founded in God and shared between two people, hope for the future will bring the trust that is forever.  I strongly believe that our God works His best miracles when we have hope, the type that is grounded in love.

Perseverance seems to be a word that everyone has endured.  To see something or a situation all the way through is a strong sense of perseverance.  Many of us have persevered trials and tribulations in our life.  Yet, as it relates to love, it can take on a very different view.  Our love can be tested by many things.  During those times of testing, we can wonder if love is worth it - if THIS love is worth it.  Persevering during these times shows each other the type of love that is present.  It is this love that makes those difficult times bearable, almost taking us full circle.

Wow, Paul certainly has challenged us with this chapter!  Last week, he helps us to understand what love isn't and now shares with us what love is.  Under either viewpoint, I have realized that as much as I deeply love my family and friends, I still have work to do.  The power of all of this comes from the love we have for Jesus.  As the Holy Spirit penetrates our hearts, Jesus fills us up to have the type of love Paul yearns for us to have.  The words protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres have one commonality - the word ALWAYS in front of them.  May we pray that our actions of love continue to focus on always.

Dearest Jesus, how the words of Paul continue to creep into our hearts and minds.  Understanding more deeply the way we should love has impacted me in so many ways.  The deep commitment he asks us to make helps me to see the way you, Jesus, ALWAYS love me.  Your forgiveness of my wrongdoings, the trust you have in me, the hope that I will change and the perseverance to never let go of me helps me to see how I need to love others.  Thank you, Jesus.  Amen!