LOVE IS THE EXCELLENT GIFT
SCRIPTURE:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away…And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1Corinthians 13:4—8, 13 NIV)
OBSERVATION:
Love never fails is a powerful declaration. However, this is different from the kind of love that many are familiar with. This kind of love that Paul mentioned is more than an emotional response to others. In this letter to the Corinthians, Paul addresses the importance of love above all gifts. He calls this the most excellent gift. All our spiritual gifts must be used and based on love. Paul emphatically makes the argument of how love is the most excellent above all, and it will NEVER fail.
It looks like the Corinthian believers overly emphasized prophecies and tongues over faith, hope, and love. This problem still exists today. So many people overly emphasize tongues and prophecy over faith, hope, and love. Paul did not say that we do not need tongues and prophecies. We absolutely must love tongues and prophecy, but they are limited. Even Paul pointed out here that both of these spiritual gifts will cease. Simply because not everyone speaks in tongues or prophecy, they have their place when the Holy Spirit has His moments to use them.
However, my relationship with other believers or people around me is built on something so much bigger and better than tongue and prophecy because people understand the language of love better. It is a language that we all must speak and act. Faith, Hope, and love are the language everyone needs and can understand better whether they are believers or not.
Love is expressed through my actions, not just my words, as in the case of tongues and prophecy. Nobody cares about me speaking in tongues or prophecy. But they know how I treat them and speak to them in the language of love. They know if I am a patient person, a kind person, an envious person, a boastful person, a prideful person, disrespectful, dishonoring others, self-seeking, always easily angered, and always keeping wrongs.
People know the language of love better than tongue and prophecy. Thus, Paul’s exhortation is not for us to neglect tongue and prophecy, but to focus our attention on the power of love that transforms lives. In the end, the three most enduring gifts are Faith, Hope, and Love. Not everyone needs to speak in tongues, and not everyone needs to prophesy, but everyone needs faith, hope, and love. All gifts have their place, but NO gift has the power to draw people, whether they are believers or not, to a relationship with God than Faith, Hope, and Love. Thus, love language is the most excellent, and it never fails to transform a person powerfully.
APPLICATION:
I need to speak the language of love more often. I know sometimes I do not speak love the way I should. Love is an attitude that I need to have and to wear at all times when I am with people. I needed to hear this encouragement from Paul on how to speak the language of love. I want to do this daily in my own relationship at home.
PRAYER:
Jesus, I am grateful for the reminder of the power of love that I must learn to have daily. Please help me to be someone who have the qualities of love that Paul wrote about. I ask that you fill me with your love so I may be able to love you and love others. I ask that you fill me daily with kindness, patience, and all the blessings of what love is. Thank you again for reminding me of the power of love that is centered on you. In your name, Amen!
