And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13
It is clear from this chapter that God honors Christlike character more than ministry, faith or the possession and use of spiritual gifts. God values and emphasizes character that acts in love, patience (v. 4), kindness (v. 4), unselfishness (v. 5), hatred for evil and love for the truth (v. 6), honesty (v.6), dependence on God and endurance (v. 7) much more than extreme faith or great accomplishments in the church (vv. 1-2, 8, 13).
The greatest in God’s kingdom will be those who are great in inward character and who show true love for God and people, not necessarily those who are greatest in outward accomplishments (Luke 22-30). God’s love within Christ’s followers through the presence of the Holy Spirit is always of greater importance than faith, hope or any spiritual discipline or character trait (Romans 5:5)
Today’s Bible Readings:
Deuteronomy 7-8, Luke 7:36-8:3, Psalm 69:1-18 and Proverbs 12:1