The Greatest Gift

This week we’re talking about using our gifts because it’s a huge piece of our happiness and the happiness we bring to the world. Jesus encourages it and even made us for it. But along the way, there’s one HUGE thing that we can’t forget.

When Paul is talking about all the different gifts people have in 1 Corinthians 12 and how important it is to use our gifts and grow in our gifts and change the world with our gifts, he closes out that section with this awesome line…

And yet I will show you the most excellent way. - Romans 12:31

You can feel the drama, the build up in that line, right?

Then he proceeds to write one of the most famous pieces of poetry the world has ever known, which has been read at weddings for thousands of years, about the beauty of love in community and how love is way better than giftedness.

So to keep us oriented this week as we keep pressing into our giftedness, will you take a few minutes today and read and pray through these inspired words, praying to keep the main thing the main thing this week?

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels
   but have not love
   I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 

If I have prophetic powers
   and understand all mysteries and all knowledge
   and have all faith so as to remove mountains
   but have not love
   I am nothing.

If I give away all I have
   and if I deliver my body to be burned
   but have not love
   I gain nothing. 

Love is patient and kind
   It is not jealous or boastful;
   It is not arrogant or rude.

Love does not insist on its own way;
   It is not irritable or resentful;
   It does not rejoice at wrong but rejoices in the right.

Love
   bears all things, 
   believes all things, 
   hopes all things, 
   endures all things. 

Love never ends.

• 1 Corinthians 13