That’s all cool. You’re striving for great gifts. Yet I will show you a still more excellent way.

 

If my album goes platinum, but don’t have love, I’m an out of tune guitar or a clanging cymbal.

 

If I’m the smartest guy in the room, and understand all mysteries and have all knowledge, but don’t have love, I’m a big zero.

 

If I believe all of the ‘right doctrines’ and can recite entire books of the Bible; if I’m the only person in history who has figured out the difference between homousia and homoiousia, but don’t have love, what good is it?

 

If I create the next chic megachurch or start a cool house church movement, but don’t love people then everyone’s better off shutting the doors.

 

If I go on missions trips, have thousands of hits on my blog every day, and donate the profits of my best-seller to the poor, but do not have love…I’ve gained nothing.

 

If I’m interviewed by Larry King, endorsed by Oprah, and get my own talk show, but don’t have love, I’ve become an annoying car alarm no one listens to.

 

If I’m embraced for my orthodoxy or rejected for my heterodoxy, but don’t love the people who accept and reject me, then I’m a self-serving boor.

 

If I’m rejected for my orthodoxy or embraced for my heterodoxy, but don’t love the people who accept and reject me, then I’m a self-serving boor.

 

Love puts up with annoying people and is even kind to them. Love doesn’t measure itself against anyone else, and it never holds up others to ridicule. Love doesn’t have to be the center of attention. It can enter a room quietly.

 

Love doesn’t act like an idiot, and it doesn’t insist that everyone caves in to its wishes. Love isn’t overly pious, is self-reflective, and doesn’t have to wear its belief on its sleeves. Love doesn’t get upset when people slight it, and it doesn’t hope that harm comes to its enemies. Love doesn’t get giddy when jerks get what’s coming to them. Love is happiest when people live with integrity.

 

Love never fails. But where there is fame, it will pass. Where there is a social trend, it will pass away. What’s cutting edge today is brown shag carpet tomorrow. For in trying to sit in the place of God, we covet what doesn’t belong to us. We have what is perfect, so why do you keep craving for less than the best?

 

When I was a child I blubbered, especially when I didn’t get my own way. I saw myself as being the center of the universe. I believed I had all the answers. But as I matured, I learned how to start acting my age.

 

So, look at others in the face and see the very glory of God. When you do, you’ll see God’s reflection staring back at you because love is all in all.

 

You have great faith. You are very hopeful. That’s wonderful, but don’t forget the greatest gift of all. Love.