OUR FATHER WANTS US TO HAVE LOVE FOR OTHER PEOPLE AS HE DOES FOR US

The Apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians, having already exposited the nature and function of the inestimable gifts of the Spirit, said this in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 13;

And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

Paul went on to say this in chapter 13 verse 1;

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

This 'most excellent way' that Paul wrote about to the  Corinthians was the way of love.

In fact, Paul expressly said that whatever great spiritual gifts a person was able to manifest such as speaking in the tongues of men or angels, without love, all those spiritual endeavors were worth nothing.

Paul compared the supernatural speaking in the languages of men and angels with the annoying clanging of gongs and cymbals if it was practiced with no love for other people. 

In the subsequent verses, the Apostle Paul said that great knowledge and understanding, without love, reduced a person to nothing and those who sacrificed themselves but had no love, gained nothing for their efforts.

Walking in the Spirit, to be of value, must be accompanied by the cultivation of the love of other people even as Jesus set the example for us so that, as it says 1 John chapter 4 verse 19,  we love because he first loved us. 

Faith is what initiates spiritual actions; hope is what sustains spiritual endurance; but seeing how love is what gives meaning and value to any spiritual practice, Paul's conclusion in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 verse 13 is instructive;

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Amen.