The Spirit of God gives us a complete picture of the importance of gifts to the church, then He details the most important gift that we can gives someone … LOVE! (1 Corinthians 13). We often use this chapter at weddings to remind the couple that they need to learn to love each other. But this chapter is set between two chapters (12 & 14) that talk about the misuse of gifts within the church. Gifts have nothing to do with self promotion, and everything to do with service, and no service is complete when not given in love. Love is the first characteristic listed in Galatians 5:22 as a characteristic of the Holy Spirit. Other’s focus is not a natural even in our thinking, because we are to focused on me! It take the outworking of the Holy Spirit to give me an others centered world, that is manifested in showing love to others. As we show love, we find purpose in life, as we manifest love, it brings peace to relationships, as we live in love it provides hope in the midst of our circumstances. We must remember that love is not self-love, but a love that focus on our Heavenly Father first, and manifested to others next. Remember we love God because He first loved us. Rethink your motives, and chose to love one another. Don’t know what that looks like, spend some time through the rest of this week meditating on 1 Corinthians 13, and then begin to exercise love as you worship this Sunday.