Love bears all things. I’ve got my limits as we all do. I’m a forgiving person, but there are certain lines in my mind that you don’t cross. I’m sure you are similar and have different standards for family, friends, significant others, colleagues, etc. Once that line is crossed, it’s war and all bets are off. OK, maybe it’s not so drastic, but that relationship is effectively ended at that very moment. And up to this point, we’re perfectly justified as Love is patient, love is kind, love does not envy, love does not boast, love is not arrogant, love is not rude. Love does not insist on its own way, love is not irritable, love is not resentful, love does not rejoice at wrongdoing and love rejoices with the truth. However, love also bears all things and once again we’re left to examine our hearts.

Love sent His Son to the cross. Not having children of my own, I cannot imagine what that felt like, but I can’t imagine anything tougher to bear. Yet, God not only didn’t smite the people responsible, but He began sending out the disciples so that those very people might be reconciled to Him. I think this is the part of the Easter story we miss. God sent His Son as a perfect sacrifice and once the sacrifice had been made and Jesus had risen again, He sent out the disciples to spread the news of salvation. Love bears all things.

Love forgives grievances 70x7. If someone sins against you that many times (a very large number wrought with Biblical symbolism), you are still to forgive them. We are to forgive in the way that God forgave us at the cross and He forgives us daily. What sin is too great that forgiveness does not wash it white again? What have you or someone else done that forgiveness, which is from God, is not enough? There is one thing God cannot forgive, but that is because blaspheming the Holy Spirit is to deny forgiveness its very source; it is a rejection of its very principle. Ephesians 4:32 has the terms of our forgiveness right there in plain sight. You’ll notice that it has no terms. Love bears all things.

We are only human, but love is divine. Therefore, our love does not cover a subset of trespasses, but all. It is our flawed humanity that tries to keep love from the endless pastures in which it was meant to roam forever. Just because we may not choose to continue to pursue a relationship after a certain set of conditions (which can be wise) doesn’t mean our love was designed to ever follow suit. Our love we cannot tame, cannot corral as it is greater than us. It is our responsibility to simply let it be. The only thing that may overwhelm us is how greatly God works through that love. Is that bad? No, love bears all things.