Love believes all things
There’s a profound difference between art that wants to reflect what you would see if you were standing there, and art that is more stylistic-abstract. Art theorists call the difference perspective. Art that captures reality allows objects to disappear as they move further away from the “perspective” of the viewer. More symbolic art focuses on ideas rather than reality and flattens this perspective - think about ancient Egyptian murals.
Perspective has profound implications beyond art history. Have you ever lost sight of the goal in a complex project? Do-it-yourself projects get derailed quickly when we lose perspective. Or forgotten the bigger picture in the heat of an argument? Relationships suffer that way.
But love is ever-faithful, always believing, and so maintains perspective in all circumstances.
Believing
The Apostles don’t separate faith from belief and faithfulness the way that English does. Faith and belief both speak to our lived grasp on truth. That internal adherence results in predictable patterns of faithful behavior (”fruit” or “works”). In other words, if you say the lake water is safe and fun to swim in, but you never get in the water… maybe your so-called “faith” is dead, rather than alive. Knowing, believing, and predictably acting are all wrapped up in the New Testament idea of “belief.”
And Paul says that love “all” “believes.”
All Things
There are conflicting interpretations of Paul’s, “love believes all things.” Augustine framed this as “believing the best” or “thinking the best” about others. Atheists may interpret this as the foolish gullibility of Christians who will “believe anything!” Both of those interpretations miss the point, Paul isn’t advocating for a foolish naivete. In the context of hope and endurance, it’s best to understand Paul saying, “Love never loses faith.” Love always believes. In every circumstance and relationship, love “keeps the faith.”
Faithful Perspectives
This brings us back to perspective. How you see things matters, because faith starts with what’s true but doesn’t end there. Love always holds on to the truth. That means both the internal adherence and the behavioral fruit. Love, to return to our metaphor, doesn’t forget that the lake water is safe and fun, and love always jumps in feet first.
Paul’s point is that love, authentic love, as it rejoices with the truth, is reliably consistent with reality. Love refuses to forget the most important truths:
God exists, knows everything, is the perfection of goodness, hates evil, and judges justly. Love that keeps that perspective would keep a careful watch on its treatment of others. Kindness would be a distinguishing mark, would it not?
God is merciful, gracious, abounding in steadfast love, and gave His only Son to forgive our sins. Love that sees everything from that lens would be quick to forgive and slow to anger when offended by others, we might even call it, “patient.” Resentment and irritability don’t fit with the light of God’s grace.
God provides for our needs perfectly out of his great wisdom and care, left to ourselves, we would have nothing. When you see the world around you that way, where then is envy? What of boasting? Love remembers it has nothing it did not first receive in all circumstances.
God’s salvation in Christ knows no partiality, nor is it based upon works or merit. Love looks out from the level ground at the foot of the cross, and doesn’t waste time arguing over who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. There’s no room for arrogance, rudeness, or insisting on our own way.
In the end, love does more than just “know” these things, it believes them, keeps them, and sees everything through them. Love lives in the light of truth when conflict, stress, fear, pressure, offense, insecurity, selfishness, pride, and impatience threaten to drive us apart.
Would redemption have been possible if the pain of the cross caused Jesus to lose sight of the joy set before Him? No. Love is ever-faithful, ever-true—and never loses sight of God’s truth.