Alba 1-4-2026
LOVE BEARS ALL THINGS
I Corinthians 13:7
I Corinthians 13:7 continues to define love the way God sees it, and gives it. In this verse the phrase “all things” is stated four times. The first thing in this list says that love, “bears all things”... A minister was speaking about all the things money can’t buy. “Money can’t buy happiness, it can’t buy laughter and money can’t buy love”, he told the congregation. Driving his point home he said, “What would you do if I offered you $1,000 not to love your mother and father?” A hush fell over the congregation. Finally a small voice near the front, raised an important question, “How much would you give me not to love my big sister?”
Apparently there was a problem in that relationship and that young person was unwilling to “bear all things” with the big sister. You may have someone like that in your life. People can be difficult. They can get on your nerves. They can be hard to bear. So what are you going to do with this verse that says if you are going to practice the kind of love God wants to see in each of our lives, you will bear all things?
It is not as easy as it may first appear. Some people are just not that lovable. It is easy to get annoyed and bothered by the habits and actions of another person. But that creates a danger if it determines the way you treat your spouse or children or other people close to you. That is why family and the church is the best place to put this verse into action.
I say we should especially practice this with family and the church because there are other people in the world whose actions are not things we should “bear” with at all. There is sin in this world. I think you know that. And the Bible makes it clear that even good people need to confess and turn from wrong doing. Sinful action does not need to be accepted under the umbrella of “bear all things”.
For example, a wife should not be expected to “bear all things” from a violent husband who beats her. Scripture does command a woman to submit herself to her husband. But the husband is commanded to love his wife to the extent that he would give his life for her (just as Jesus has done for the church).
So lets put this phrase “bears all things” in its proper perspective. The Verse by Verse Commentary gives two ways that the word “bear” (stego) can be translated. The first is to “cover over or shelter”. There are some translations of scripture that use that way to translate this word. The idea is that love covers the sins of others and does not hang them out for all to see. Love does not gossip or listen to gossip. It does not make any difference whether the accusation is true or not. Love takes an interest in the best interests of others. This is not an issue of shielding the sin, but the sinner. The idea here is that love covers the faults and shortcomings in the lives of others.
We can better understand what that means if we consider how God has loved us by covering our sins. God certainly does not ignore or excuse our sins. But He has provided a way that they can be covered through the blood of Jesus that He shed on the cross for us.
In the same way, when we bear or cover all things, we do not ignore or excuse sin. But there is a sense in which we choose to “cover” or “bear” their faults, and focus instead on their capabilities that would enable them to do well and complete the task ahead of them.
Think about a father and young son taking a walk. The child is walking at a different pace than the father, and the child might say, “Dad I have to take three steps to every one of yours.” Now an impatient father might say something like, “Hurry up, catch up with me, get back over here now.” But a wise father slows his pace, teaches along the way, and enjoys that fact that they are together. The difference between those two reactions define whether or not there is a love that covers over the child.
Then think of another boy and his dad hiking together on a familiar path. As they make a sharp turn in a narrow section of the path they come across a big rock blocking their way. The little boy asks his father, “Do you think I can move it?” His dad says, “Why, of course. If you use all your strength, I’m sure you can move it.”
The little boy chooses an angle of attack on the big rock and begins pushing with everything he has. He grunts and groans. Summoning all the strength he has, he pushes and pushes but to no avail. Finally, in desperation he says, “You were wrong, Dad, I just can’t do it.” His dad looks him in the eyes, smiles and says, “No son, you haven't used all your strength yet. I'm right here and you haven't asked me to help you.”
The father recognizes the weakness of the boy but doesn't condemn him or make fun of him. Instead, the father shelters or covers over the weakness with his own strength. And isn't that what God does for us? Human nature loves to tear down others to lift up self. But isn't it better to love more like God loves?
I mentioned earlier that the Verse by Verse Commentary gives two ways the word “bear” can be translated. The first way is to “cover over or shelter”. The second way is quite obvious. The commentary says it can mean to “bear up”. But that meaning may not be as obvious at first as one may think.
Perhaps if we look at other scriptures we will get a fuller understanding of the meaning. If we do, we can find at least three bears, three ways to bear up. Galatians 6:2 tells us to “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ”, which is the law of love. And the verse just before that tells us how to put bearing with another's burdens into action. It says, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted”.
In the church there are always two types of Christians. There are those who are strong in their faith, and those who are weak. Some are prone to mess up in spiritual matters. Problems are pushing them. Instead of being on top of their problems they are constantly under them. Their bad habits are overwhelming them. Romans 15:1-2 says, “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.”
So this means when there is sin involved, we will attempt to deal with it in such a way that it causes the least possible harm to all involved—and the most possible help. Love doesn’t expose, gloat, or condemn pridefully. If we are walking in the love of God, we protect others, their reputations and their name, from ridicule or harm. We won’t gossip if we are serious about loving others.
Have you ever had a friend quietly, gently take you aside and tell you that you need to shape up? And they did it with that patience that lets you know they aren’t threatening to cut you off or hurt you in any way. They just really care about you and want the best for you. And they care enough about you to risk admonishing you. That’s a real friend. In the church, if we really do love one another and we have our spirits quiet enough inside us to do it, we can patiently, constructively admonish one another. And God can use that to help us grow. Helping others bear their loads is our way to follow the greatest burden bearer who ever lived, Jesus Christ, the One who bore our sins when He went to the cross to save us.
But then in Galatians chapter six, after telling us to “Bear one another’s burdens”, verses three to five say this: “For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load.”
What? I thought I was supposed to get help from others. Now I have a responsibility to bear my own load? Of course! None of us should expect others to do for us what we can do for ourselves. You probably heard about the man who was in the grocery store pushing a shopping cart which contained, besides groceries, a screaming baby boy. As the man proceeded down the aisles, he kept saying, “Keep calm, George. Don’t get excited, George. Don’t yell, George.” A lady watched with great admiration and finally spoke up and said, “You are certainly to be commended for your patience in trying to quiet little George.” “Lady,” he said, “I'm George!”
If something is going on in your life that seems overwhelming, it is wise to calm yourself and seek God's guidance. There are things in our lives that are between just God and ourselves. There are things that may be happening that God is using in order to make you more into the person He wants you to be. They may be difficult things, hard things, things that you wish were different. Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying: “I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.” The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 55:22, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you.” Jesus Christ our Sin-bearer said, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light”. He will help you bear your burden.
And there is one more thing we are to bear, especially in order to express our love for the Lord. We are called to bear witness. The truth of salvation and forgiveness of sins needs to be made known. Even before Jesus began His earthly ministry the Gospel of John 1:6-8 says, “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.”
The man we know as John the baptist proclaimed the coming of the Messiah and prepared the way for Jesus' ministry. And then, after Jesus had died on that cross, was buried and rose again, the need to continue to bear witness to this soul saving message was carried on by others. The apostle Paul was told in Acts 23:11 when there was a plot against him that, “The following night the Lord stood by him and said, 'Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.'” And He was taken to Rome, and he did bear witness to the truth in Jesus Christ to any and all who would listen. He had a testimony of faith to share. And if we have truly given ourselves to the Lord, we also have a testimony to share.
Even the apostle John shows us that we can take our experience of coming to faith as a testimony to share with others. He wrote in I John 1:1-3 saying, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”
That was his first hand experience. None of us were on this earth when Jesus walked among His followers. But if we have come to a faith that causes us to love and obey Him, He is walking with us today. That is a message we can share.
So what have we learned from this study? We have learned that if we have a love that bears all things, we will be a Christian who helps another brother or sister in Christ bear their burdens. We will be a Christian who bears his or her own burdens. And we will be a Christian who bears witness to others in the way we live our lives and in the testimony we give concerning our faith. Those are three “bears” we can live with.
CLOSE:
The “Reader's Digest” had an article in it years ago that told of a car at a crowded intersection. While waiting for the traffic light to change, it stalled, holding up a line of other vehicles behind it.
Obviously flustered, the lady who was driving the car hurriedly got out and lifted the hood to investigate. As she did the driver of the car behind began honking his horn.
The honking continued until the driver of the stalled car, still unsuccessful in discovering the trouble, went over and spoke to the impatient motorist behind her. “If you will fix my car,” she said calmly, “I'll be glad to keep blowing your horn for you.”
I think that is a good example of love bearing all things. But the best example of love bearing all things is when Jesus came into this world, shared the Good News of salvation, and then made it possible by taking our punishment by going to the cross. Now Jesus lives. And He invites us to trust Him, obey Him and follow Him.
