13:6
NIV has “Love does not delight in evil”, ESV has “it does not rejoice at wrongdoing”. Sin can have a superficial attractiveness, offering some instant reward (which will soon turn to poison). Love certainly does not delight in evil. However, going back to unregenerate human nature and the desire to prove oneself better than others, this can lead to delighting when others do wrong or fall, for it proves we are better than them (or so we think). Love does not do this. Instead love delights in the truth. The truth is that we are all sinners, and all who believe are freely forgiven by God. So instead of looking down on others, seeing all their faults, we delight in the truth of the gospel, in seeing people receive forgiveness, and their growing in Christ.
13:7
We now get positive attributes of love, all prefaced with “always”. Love protects. Instead of fault finding and criticising, it guards people as they grow and overcome. Love sees hope for people, trusting in the working of God’s grace in their lives. This is not a “love is blind” or naive approach. Love is utterly realistic, but love perseveres because of our hope in Christ.
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