Love “Thinks No Evil” by Dylan Stewart

In 1 Corinthians 13:5, we learn that love "thinks no evil" (NKJV). There are many ways we can apply this principle, but, for me, it means always giving people the benefit of the doubt. In other words, we choose to believe good about someone rather than something bad, even if we think we will likely be proven wrong.

To think no evil of someone means we do not immediately jump to negative conclusions, which is the opposite of what we see from the natives of Malta in Acts 28. After being shipwrecked on the island of Malta (see Acts 27:9-44), Paul and the rest of the crew encountered natives of the island who, although they initially showed kindness, quickly assumed the worst of Paul after he was bit by a snake. Inspiration records, "So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, ‘No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live‘" (Acts 28:4). Of course, Paul was far from a murderer. Yet, the Maltan natives chose to think evil of him; they evilly surmised (1 Timothy 6:4) against Paul. However, the Maltans were soon proven wrong in their quick judgment.

After Paul shook off the snake and was not harmed from its bite, we read how the natives were shocked to realize their misguided assumption of "justice" being served to a "murderer" was totally incorrect. Acts 28:6 tells us, "They were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god." Even after their initial assumption was proven wrong, the Maltan’s jumped to another incorrect (albeit much more positive) assumption that Paul was a god. See how being quick to make assumptions about people can lead to incorrect and often damaging conclusions about people’s character?

Instead of assuming the worst about people, we should assume the best. If they wind up proving us wrong, so be it. Of course, this does not mean God expects us to allow people to take advantage of us (see Matthew 10:16), nor does He permit us to quickly extend the right hand of fellowship to any and every person (see 1 Timothy 5:22; Acts 9:26; Romans 16:17). God does, however, always expect us to be willing to go the “extra mile” for people (Matthew 5:41), and we can do that by assuming the best in someone rather than assuming evil of that person. If we assume the worst in someone as the Maltans did with Paul, we will wind up being put to shame just like the Maltans when the other party’s character misaligns with our hasty judgments (see Proverbs 25:8). Admittedly, this is certainly not easy. Yet, if we strive to have "sympathy . . . a tender heart, and a humble mind" (1 Peter 3:8, NRSV), then we can grow to have love for people that thinks no evil.

Truly, we ought to have the type of love for people that is willing to bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things (1 Corinthians 13:7). After all, isn’t that how we desire others to love us? "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 7:12, NIV).

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