“But desire the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.” – 1 Corinthians 12:31

In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul writes a pretty incredible list of gifts that God bestows on his people. This includes things like helping, teaching, leading, healing, and even working miracles! How many of you would love to be able to heal people or work miracles? What incredible gifts?! But right after that, Paul says something very interesting; “let me show you something even better.” What could be better than healing people or working miracles?! What follows is 1 Corinthians 13. If you are unfamiliar with chapter 13, it is known as probably the greatest description of love in all of Scripture.

What Paul is saying here is that the greatest thing we can ask for from God, above all the other gifts, is to know true love and display it to the people around us. In fact, I would argue that all those other gifts are useless, and possibly dangerous, without first understanding and displaying God’s love. So, I want to challenge you in your prayers this week, before you ask for anything else, ask God to show you how to love in the same way he loves. Then let whatever gift he has given you be used with that love as the foundation.

Father, we desire to know and show Your love in our world. Fill us with that love and give us the ability to demonstrate that love to everyone we come in contact with.

In Christ’s service,

Pastor Shane Cannon