Love Hopes All Things
The world would have us believe that love is an emotion . . . a feeling. Something out of our control. Something that just happens to us.
But the world is not the source of truth. Truth tells us something very different from the world.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:7)
Love is an action. A commandment, not a choice. And certainly not an accident.
And sometimes, when you least expect it, love is hard.
In a popular Peanuts cartoon, Charlie Brown admonishes Lucy with the words, “Lucy, you must be more loving. The world really needs love.” To which Lucy responds, “Look, Blockhead, the world I love. It’s people I can’t stand!”
Can you relate?
What do you do if the people you can’t stand live right in your own home?
Your spouse? Your kids? Yourself?
It seems we are living in a culture of hopelessness these days. Marriage is hard. Parenting is hard. And sometimes, oftentimes, we are hard on ourselves.
It’s easy to find justification for our lack of loving.
Perhaps your husband is angry often, and he takes that anger out on you and your kids.
Maybe you have a child who is sometimes disobedient or disrespectful.
There may be even be a small likelihood that you are frequently impatient and even yell at your husband or kids.
For many of you, these are not exaggerations, and in fact may be just the tip of the iceberg.
I have something to tell you that may be tough to hear. So I need for you to know that this tip of the iceberg comes from my own personal experiences.
Love hopes all things.
That’s it.
Remember, I told you at the beginning of this post that love is not an accidental thing that happens to us. And despite what you may have been led to believe, it’s not even a choice.
It is a commandment.
Jesus tells us to love Him and love each other. Period. He doesn’t tell us to only love those who deserve it (Which of us does?). He just says to love. And then as Paul shares with the church at Corinth — to hope.
ALL THINGS.
Our husbands and children need for us to stand in the gap for them. They need us to love them enough to hope that they (we) will become more and more like Christ. Even when it seems nearly impossible.
For nothing will be impossible with God. (Luke 1:37)
I enjoy that Charlie Brown was hopeful for Lucy. And that he understood that we “must be more loving.” He was right.
People will always fail us.
But part of loving is hoping, and part of hoping is seeing the potential of those you love.
Even when they sometimes pull the football away just as you kick.
A beautiful touching post as always Marcy. I’m reading “Disciplines of the Beautiful Woman” right now and realizing I need to be praying more for my dear family.
thank you, Kemi. I’ll have to check out that book. I’m not familiar.
My son erupts easily. Loving him in those erupted moments can be so hard. I can so relate to this post and the message that love hopes all things is so beautiful and encouraging. Thank you.
Yes. I can so relate to that, Julie. Hope is such a part of loving though. Grateful you were encouraged. Saying a prayer for you.
Beautifully said Marcy. Thank you for sharing your heart and for reminding me what love really is. Once again, you inspire me. Thanks again friend!
Love you, sweet friend.
Oh Marcy,
I needed to read this. Thanks so much for sharing your heart!
Love you and love this.
Kate
You bless me, my friend. Love you!
I really needed to read this today, Marcy. Thank you . . .
You are very welcome, Lori. I’m glad it helped. Thanks for sharing.
Marcy, thank you so much! This is where I am seeking to live this year. And it has been a good place, though it has required much intentionality on my part. The rewards though? Priceless.
Despite the fact that I KNOW that love hopes all things……I don’t think I’ve ever looked at it apart from its fellow exhortations from Corinthians.
But it is a beautiful word for today. “Hope” just injects so much life into that verse, doesn’t it?
Blessings, friend!
Hope makes all the difference some days.
What a beautiful reminder. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for reading. And commenting! Blessings!
Fantastic writing and reminder that love is not an emotion but is action and choice. And I love that you were able to include Charlie Brown in something so serious! Thank you for writing.
Charlie Brown is so wise, isn’t he? Thanks for your kind words, Lori.
Thank you for being willing to share so vulnerably. Not easy.
Your words are a blessing,
Gina
You are a blessing.
Beautifully raw and honest post Marcy. And so true. Hope is such an important part of what love is! Bless you, from Victoria
Thank you, Victoria.