' Charity believeth all things! ' — what simplicity, what a refreshing lack of worldly wisdom and experience; what a dupe such gullibility must be; how it is imposed upon and played upon and cheated."

Such is the verdict of the worldly spirit, which suspects all things, which is easily provoked, and thinketh all evil.

Charity believeth all things. A dupe, is it? 

I ask you which is the greater dupe, the charity that believes all things, or the selfishness that believes nothing? 

There are knaves in the world, 

there are superstitions in the world, 

there are deceivers and deceived; 

but one who lives as if these were all, 

loses the good and invites the evil. 

Before the cold gaze of suspicion, hearts close themselves as the sensitive flower closes beneath the cloud.” 

To me the last line is the most significant; “Before the cold gaze of suspicion, or superiority, hearts close themselves.”

Nothing reaches a closed heart, 

Even with thorough preparation, inspired words, long prayers, or stirring delivery, the walls stay up because they sense condemnation rather than love.

“Their hearts would close.” 

But Seeing others as equals ("sinners like myself"), as beloved souls whom Christ loves and actively reaches out to redeem. 

The focus shifts from critiquing sin to gently drawing out the innate nobility, honor, truth, and goodness that God has placed in every human heart, and the hearts open and the Holy Spirit works with power.