Love Believes All
Have you ever seen a caterpillar? They’re squishy, a little strange, and maybe even kind of ugly. But God can take that caterpillar and place it in a cocoon. Inside, a beautiful transformation is happening—a metamorphosis. Even when we see only the caterpillar, God sees the Monarch butterfly. He sees the best, the potential, and the beauty in what it will become.
In the same way, God sees the best in us, even when we might only see ourselves as an "ugly caterpillar." Love looks beyond the surface and sees what God can do—the transformation He’s working within us.
In the same way, God sees the best in us, even when we might only see ourselves as an "ugly caterpillar." Love looks beyond the surface and sees what God can do—the transformation He’s working within us.
Matthew 6:26
26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
If God can take a simple caterpillar and transform it into the majestic Monarch butterfly, how much more does He see in us?
26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
If God can take a simple caterpillar and transform it into the majestic Monarch butterfly, how much more does He see in us?
Love always believes and sees the best in everyone!
1 Corinthians 13:1-8 (a)
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. Love Believes All Things
1 Corinthians 13:1-8 (a)
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. Love Believes All Things
Remember, Paul’s message here is clear: I desire unity within this church. To achieve that, we must first understand what true, Christ-like love looks like.
Love is not gullible. While love believes all things and sees the best in others, it does not mean love is naïve or without discernment.
The Greek word translated as "believes" is pisteuō (pronounced "pee-steh-oo"), which means "to believe, place faith in, or trust." This doesn’t imply blind faith, but rather a trust that sees potential and believes in God’s work in others, even when they’re not yet who they could be.
Love is not gullible. While love believes all things and sees the best in others, it does not mean love is naïve or without discernment.
The Greek word translated as "believes" is pisteuō (pronounced "pee-steh-oo"), which means "to believe, place faith in, or trust." This doesn’t imply blind faith, but rather a trust that sees potential and believes in God’s work in others, even when they’re not yet who they could be.
Big Idea: Love Always Believes and Sees What People Can Be
Zacchaeus
Luke 19:1-4
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
Luke 19:5-10
5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. 7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.” 8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. 7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.” 8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
What we see Jesus do…
- Jesus knows Zacchaeus.
- Jesus wants to visit with Zacchaeus.
- See Jesus as righteous.
- See Zacchaeus as a thief, chief tax collector.
- They see Zacchaeus a sinful man.
- They see Zacchaeus as lost.
1) Seeing People As Jesus See Them, Believing Love Moves Us To Move
Luke 19:5-6
5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.
All People Matter To God
It doesn’t matter who you are, what you’ve done, or what others may believe. Christ died for all people and loves each one deeply. God has a unique plan for every individual, and He sees the potential of that plan in them.
It doesn’t matter who you are, what you’ve done, or what others may believe. Christ died for all people and loves each one deeply. God has a unique plan for every individual, and He sees the potential of that plan in them.
Mark 6:34
34 And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.
34 And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.
Notice the pattern in Jesus' actions here:
- He Goes
- He Has Compassion
- He Sees Them as Lost
- He Teaches
- Go
- Have Compassion
- See Them as Lost
- Teach Them
Doesn't Jesus make this clear in His final words to us?
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Let your spiritual vision grow sharper as you learn to see people the way Jesus does. When you begin to view others through His eyes—full of love, compassion, and understanding—it transforms how you interact with the world and reflect His grace.
2) Seeing People As Jesus See Them, Believing Love Moves Us To Mingle
Luke 19:7
7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”
Notice what Jesus did: He mingled with people, even those the world considered unworthy. He didn't avoid sinners; He reached out to them, showing His love and grace.
Philippians 2:5-8
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Key: Humility and Obedience
Jesus demonstrated true humility and obedience, setting aside His divine rights to live among us. He humbled Himself, not just in His actions, but even in His willingness to mingle with sinners—those the world rejected. His obedience led Him to the cross, where He gave everything to save the lost.
We must learn to see as Jesus did and be willing to mingle with the Zacchaeuses of the world.
7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”
Notice what Jesus did: He mingled with people, even those the world considered unworthy. He didn't avoid sinners; He reached out to them, showing His love and grace.
Philippians 2:5-8
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Key: Humility and Obedience
Jesus demonstrated true humility and obedience, setting aside His divine rights to live among us. He humbled Himself, not just in His actions, but even in His willingness to mingle with sinners—those the world rejected. His obedience led Him to the cross, where He gave everything to save the lost.
We must learn to see as Jesus did and be willing to mingle with the Zacchaeuses of the world.
3) Seeing People As Jesus See Them, Believing Love Moves Us To Minister
Luke 19:5-10
8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham
8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham
One of my favorite memories is of Joey Mills, still wearing his hospital gown just minutes after praying to receive Jesus Christ. Five minutes earlier, he had told Nancy, “If Brother Dan gets here, tell him I don’t want to talk to him.”
But when I arrived, Nancy was shaking her head, and Joey said, “Brother Dan, you and I need to talk.” This was a surprise to Nancy!
Joey Mills gave his life to Christ at a Saint Louis hospital. As a new believer, he didn’t know the story of Zacchaeus or much about scripture.
I remember sitting at the mini mart when Joey walked in and came over to me. He said, “Brother Dan, I want you to know something. In my line of work, it’s easy to cheat people—you can charge them extra and they’ll never know. I want you to know that I’ve cheated some people. But this salvation I’ve experienced... if I could go back, I’d give it all back and more.”
That’s when the story of Zacchaeus came to mind.
I said to Joey, “I’m rejoicing because salvation has come.” I shared the story of Zacchaeus with him, explaining how he, too, had experienced a transformation when he came to know Christ. As a tax collector, Zacchaeus had every opportunity to cheat people, but when he met Jesus, he declared that he would repay everything he had taken, and more.
Joey’s story was just like Zacchaeus’s—when salvation touches your heart, it changes everything, including how you see your past wrongs.
But when I arrived, Nancy was shaking her head, and Joey said, “Brother Dan, you and I need to talk.” This was a surprise to Nancy!
Joey Mills gave his life to Christ at a Saint Louis hospital. As a new believer, he didn’t know the story of Zacchaeus or much about scripture.
I remember sitting at the mini mart when Joey walked in and came over to me. He said, “Brother Dan, I want you to know something. In my line of work, it’s easy to cheat people—you can charge them extra and they’ll never know. I want you to know that I’ve cheated some people. But this salvation I’ve experienced... if I could go back, I’d give it all back and more.”
That’s when the story of Zacchaeus came to mind.
I said to Joey, “I’m rejoicing because salvation has come.” I shared the story of Zacchaeus with him, explaining how he, too, had experienced a transformation when he came to know Christ. As a tax collector, Zacchaeus had every opportunity to cheat people, but when he met Jesus, he declared that he would repay everything he had taken, and more.
Joey’s story was just like Zacchaeus’s—when salvation touches your heart, it changes everything, including how you see your past wrongs.
The reason the Pharisees couldn’t understand why Jesus associated with sinners and welcomed them wasn’t just because they didn’t see themselves as sinners—it’s because they didn’t see sinners the way God sees them.
What I believe people struggle with, and what Jesus showed us, is this: What does God truly want from us?
God’s desire for us is simple. However, people often complicate things, adding rules and man-made laws that create frustration and strip away the joy of following Christ.
What I believe people struggle with, and what Jesus showed us, is this: What does God truly want from us?
God’s desire for us is simple. However, people often complicate things, adding rules and man-made laws that create frustration and strip away the joy of following Christ.
David understood what God truly wanted when he prayed in Psalm 51:16-17:
“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise”
David recognized that what matters most to God is not external rituals, but a humble and repentant heart. What bothers God should bother us—a brokenness over sin, a desire for genuine reconciliation with Him.
God desires us to love Him with all our hearts, allowing our obedience to flow from a sincere desire to please Him. This kind of love leads us to care for the lost and be willing to minister wherever God calls us, even if it means reaching out to those no one else would.
“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise”
David recognized that what matters most to God is not external rituals, but a humble and repentant heart. What bothers God should bother us—a brokenness over sin, a desire for genuine reconciliation with Him.
God desires us to love Him with all our hearts, allowing our obedience to flow from a sincere desire to please Him. This kind of love leads us to care for the lost and be willing to minister wherever God calls us, even if it means reaching out to those no one else would.
See the potential in everyone, because Jesus saw the potential in you. Love believes all things—it sees beyond the present and looks toward the possibilities God has in store. Just as Christ saw what we could become, we are called to see others through His eyes, full of grace and hope for their transformation.
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