Cynicism in a society or organization is destructive. An inclination to believe that people only act in their self-interest creates a toxic atmosphere of jaded negativity. This attitude comes from a cynic’s constant desire to analyze and deconstruct all actions in order to see through people and a belief that somehow the cynic is superior to the one whom they are judging. Most often this air of superiority comes across as flippant. sarcastic, and apathetic.
Those who are cynical always believe the worst about people which causes them to expect the worst from them. When a cynic sees someone live up to (or down to) their expectations they are confirmed in their cynicism and withdraw from that group of people. Then, the cynic begins to define that group of people as “other”. This isolation leads the cynic to more easily believe the worst about that group of people and the cycle continues.
But, there is an answer to the attitude of cynicism…love. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul describes a person who can speak in the languages of angels and men, prophesy, understand all mysteries, know all things, and can move mountains, but has no love. Paul states that this person has nothing, is nothing, and gains nothing without love. This is a picture of the ultimate cynic. A person who can see through the mystery of all things and seemingly know the motivations of all. A person who can use lofty language to describe the inevitable future of a particular action or idea. But, a person who is empty because he is unable to love God, himself, or others because he sees only corruption.
Paul’s answer is to describe a person who allows God’s Spirit to source their love. In verse 7 Paul sums up what it is like for a person who is sourced by the love of God. He says that “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (ESV). In these four phrases Paul lays out an antidote to cynicism and challenges the believer to a love that never fails.
First, he states that a love that is sourced by the Spirit will bear all things. Another way of saying this phrase is to say that true love seeks to protect even those who deserve punishment. This does not mean that a wrongdoer should not face consequences, but that a love that bears all things will seek to protect the wrongdoer so that God’s grace can work to restore the wrongdoer’s relationship with God. A love that bears all things will keep Christians from becoming cynical because they will see what really matters is God’s grace working in the lives of men and women.
Second, a love that is sourced by the Spirit believes all things, or believes the best about people. This love chooses to trust people even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. This does not mean that a Christian is to be naive or gullible, but will always give the benefit of the doubt to the other person. It is impossible to be cynical if we are always seeking to see the best in people and not the worst.
Third, a love that is sourced by the Spirit hopes all things. Or, in other words, hopes for the best for others. This is where the tension of Christian theology is most taut. On the one hand, we believe in the total depravity of men, women, and children. We believe that we are born into sin, have hearts that are deceitful, desperately wicked, and if nothing changes we will spend an eternity in Hell. But, on the other hand we also have a hope for all people. We believe that if we repent and trust in Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins we have the hope of eternal life. Those who love as God loves will hope for the best for others – eternal life – and will not become cynical of people.
Fourth, a love that is sourced by the Spirit endures all things. Spirit-sourced love will persevere in the face of extreme resistance from both the recipient and others who stand in the way of God’s love. A person who is willing to face extreme resistance in order to show love for others will never grow cynical. They won’t have the time or the will.
Some will say this description of love is unrealistic and impossible. Others will say that to love like this is naive and foolish. And, this is all true if we rely on humanity’s view of reality. But, the gospel is all about the good news of the in-breaking of Kingdom-reality into a world deceived and cursed by unbelief, cynicism, and rebellion. When Jesus came into this world he lived a life that modeled this love for us. All of us deserved to be destroyed by a holy God who is unable to allow sin to remain in His presence. However, Jesus protected us from what we deserved by sacrificing his life and giving us an opportunity to be redeemed.
Jesus as God knew the hearts of people and yet He chose to believe the best about us. He chose to believe that if we could just see the love He has for us that we would turn away from our rebellion. Jesus hoped for the best for humanity and was willing to give up glory in order to introduce us to that hope. He saw a future for us that was full of goodness and eternally abundant life. Jesus persevered and endured physical, emotional, and relational pain in order to show us…love never fails. And now, he asks His followers to do the same – to love as He loved through the power of His Spirit and to be witnesses of that love to our family, community, nation, and to the whole world.
