The Lord placed this topic on my heart to write on May 6th and naturally I said, “Okay God, what do you want me to say?”

I’m just going to leave this here.

Oftentimes, we rest on what Paul defines as love in 1 Corinthians 13: 4 through 7 filling our bathroom mirrors with sticky notes, writing it in our journals, plastering it to the walls of our home, injecting into our personal situations without considering its original context. What Paul said in this chapter is part of a larger conversation about spiritual gifts in the body of Christ and love being the most important gift of them all.

Follow me…

Chapter 12: One Body, Many Parts.

Recently, I’ve come to realize why so many of us are living on the frays of our lives, burnt out, crashing out, barely making it, gasping for air…

We’re in positions, places, and seasons God didn’t place us in.

By default (allowing the world to shape us) or our own design (trying to control our destiny under the premise of free will).

But in His love for us and honoring the free will He gave us, He will still walk with us through those seasons of disobedience. “You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however, you were led” (v. 2 ESV). Hmm.. led astray, but you were still led… be mindful who claim to have spiritual gifts leading you somewhere but lack the Holy Spirit.

Spiritual Gifts only come by way of the Holy Spirit. One Spirit, Many gifts (parts), (to serve) One Body. I digress.

Paul lays out a beautiful and compelling image of unity in diversity. He tells us though the Spirit gives many different gifts, they all originate from the same spirit. The purpose of these gifts isn’t personal glory, but the common good (v.7 ESV).

For God’s Glory.

Let’s make it plain…

There’s mutual dependence in the body. Paul highlights external body parts to draw the comparison, but let’s go deeper…

For each part to function well, another part has to function well in its role. One part informing the other. Complementary. One cannot work without the other. Imagine if your neurons just stopped sending information across your brain or the lens in your eyes stop refracting light? In this scenario, we acknowledge our eye and our brain, but there are other parts of the body — maybe often overlooked — that have equal, if not more, value. Those intangible, invaluable bits.

There’s value in the role you play in the body of Christ. No matter how seemingly big or small.

There’s value in being in front of the camera, behind the camera, or even just being the person who plugs the camera in. None is more important than the other. They all hold unique value. Each position belongs. We cannot all be in front of the camera. We are not all called to that position.

Side note: how do you know you’re called to or anointed for a position or spiritual gift? Simple. You didn’t place yourself in it. By ways beyond your understanding (the Holy Spirit) you end up there. It feels more like a cross you have to carry than something that gives *you* the glory. It grows you. It’s been there since you were a child. You cannot function in it on your own strength. You develop a neediness for Christ. That’s how you know.

If we idolize or boast in our gifts and positions, and fail to submit under them for the GLORY of God we’ve missed the point. If you love God and leave Him out of the picture when thinking about everything you’re talented in you’ve missed the point.

Paul ends chapter 12 to the church of Corinth saying “Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.” (v. 30 ESV)

Essentially saying, yes it’s okay to desire spiritual gifts but there’s ONE more greater gift than those — love.

But there’s a reason why love is the greatest spiritual gift of them all. Let’s look at love in the body.

Chapter 13: One Gift, Many Hearts.

Paul opens by saying if he speaks in the tongues, prophesies, has all knowledge, faith to move mountains, gives all he has to the poor, even surrenders his body as a sacrifice to boast but have not love—he is nothing.

Let that sink in. Nothing.

Not lesser. Not imperfect.

Nothing. Anything done without love is in vain and means nothing. (Paraphrasing 1 Corin. 13: 2 - 3).

This is a radical claim. It means spiritual gifts, no matter how impressive, are pointless if they are not motivated and infused by love.

Reminds me how some of us value certain gifts or “abilities” for self-exaltation and building our own kingdoms yet lack love and are far away from God.

I like to think Paul might have thought of love like the blood flowing through our veins in the body metaphor he used in chapter 12. As a biologist, this makes perfect sense to me. Don’t worry — I won’t bore you with science analogies. :)

Love is patient and kind

Love does not envy or boast.

Love is not angry or rude

Love does not insist on its own way

Love is not irritable or resentful

Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with truth

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things

Love never ends.

This love isn’t sentimental. It’s gritty, selfless, persistent, and wholly other-centered. It’s love that stays when it’s inconvenient, forgives when its hurt, and serves when no one is watching. It does all things for building up the church and expanding the Kingdom of God here on earth.

And Paul closes the chapter with these unforgettable words:

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (13:13)

So, why Love is the Greatest

Faith and hope are essential. Faith connects us to the unseen; hope anchors us through the trial. But love is the heartbeat of the Kingdom. The language of the heavens. Why? Because God is love (1 John 4:8). Love is not just what God does — it’s who He is. And when we love, we become living reflections of and ambassadors for God.

Then Paul in chapter 13 v. 8 through 10 goes on to say our spiritual gifts will pass away when the perfect one (Christ) returns. Prophecies will cease. Knowledge will vanish. But love? Love endures forever.

So, spiritual gifts or love? What does your heart desire more?

A Personal Challenge

In this letter Paul is writing to the church of Corinth, teaching people who favored certain spiritual gifts and did not have love.

If you’re a follower of Christ or simply trying to grow spiritually, this passage invites you to examine your motivations.

* Are your actions rooted in love?

* Are your gifts serving others, or feeding ego?

* Do you admire certain spiritual expressions more than others, forgetting the quiet acts of love that hold the body of Christ together?

It’s important to remember the purpose of the spiritual gift and the giver of the gift — the Holy Spirit. Not to abandon our spiritual gifts but to orient them toward the greater goal: a life so drenched in love that our gifts become vessels and not trophies.

So yes, desire to speak truth. Yearn to heal, to lead, to serve powerfully. But above all, desire to love because love is the only gift that transforms us into the likeness of Christ.

Take some time to journal here, pause. Spend some quality time with God.

♡ Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Have you experienced a time when love was more powerful than any spiritual gift? How do you keep love at the center of your spiritual life as a follower of Christ?

♡ Not yet subscribed? Hit the Subscribe button so you don’t miss future reflections on faith, scripture, and living a life deeply rooted in love.

♡ If this blessed you, consider sharing it with a friend, it might be the reminder they need today.

In a future reflection, I’ll write about what it looks like to unlearn spiritual performance and choose love in real relationships — not as an ideal, but as a daily practice.

~ Chérie

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beneaththeflowers.substack.com