eMeditation on the Bible
 
Question: How does love protect others?

According to the Bible’s Great Love Poem: “Love always protects.” (1 Corinthians 13:7)
 
Background
One of the most difficult challenges of growing in love is to love those who have wronged us or others. Love challenges our natural attitudes and behavior toward them. We are easily tempted to respond to wrongdoers by seeking to punish them out of anger in order to hurt them and make them suffer as they have made others suffer. Love for others often ends when we face someone who has wronged us or others.
 
General Principles
God is our example of love for wrongdoers. When we do wrong, God holds us accountable by judging and disciplining us. Often God disciplines us though the natural consequences of our actions; for example, falsifying research data may harm our career and reputation when it is discovered. But God never punishes us to hurt us and never gives up on our future well-being. God disciplines us out of love in order to both (1) protect others from our mistreatment and (2) provide us with the opportunity to learn from our failures. As God disciplines us, God’s love protects us by showing us our need to change certain attitudes and behaviors in order to build good character and become the good person God created us to be.
    
In the same way, love not only motivates us to protect people from injustice but also to protect the wrongdoers from punishments that only serve to hurt, destroy and cause them suffering. Love motivates us to focus on the well-being of everyone; both those who are vulnerable in society and those who exploit them. The justice of love seeks to both protect victims and administer justice in a manner that offers wrongdoers a path to rebuild their character, restore their well-being and return to a place in society when that is possible. Love views injustice as an injury to society that requires healing through the application of consequences for actions that can lead to moral correction, not punishment for the sake of revenge.
 
Personal Application
As you examine your life, who are the people that appear to be your adversaries or treat you unfairly? What is your attitude toward them? How do you treat them? If you had power over them, what would you do? Would you love them by disciplining and correcting them in a manner that protects their dignity and welfare? Resisting the temptation to “get even” or "pay back" by taking revenge on your adversaries can be very hard unless you ask God to transform your heart with God’s love.
 
Respond by Growing
When you are faced with an adversary, remind yourself that God loves both that person and you. Then ask God for the wisdom to confront your adversary in a way that offers the opportunity for healing in the relationship. In love, seek to protect both your adversary's well-being and your own well-being. Even when healing is not possible, love forgives and prays for their future rehabilitation.