The greatest is love...

"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love," 1Corinthians 13:13

The entirety of our Christian-walk is based on the three things mentioned above: faith, hope and love. We are Christians because of our faith in God, in Jesus as His son and in His finished works on the cross of Calvary. We also have faith that every promise God has made concerning us will come to pass. We have hope that the good things we expect (which we don't yet see) will be manifested because God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places.

However, as I read through the entirety of 1 Corinthians 13, something began to dawn on me as I got to verse 13. Many of us are so caught up in maintaining our faith and hope for better things, that we overlook the most important precept of all...LOVE. Love is greater than faith and hope. At the beginning of the chapter, Paul wrote, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing," (1Cor 13:1-4)

We are nothing as Christians, if we do not have the love of God in us. Love is the very nature of God. And if we profess to be in Christ,then we have the nature of God...so we should express the love of God in our character and behavior. While Jesus walked this earth as the Son of man, He had love and compassion for everyone. As Christians, we ought to do same. It is of no consequence to have faith that can move mountains, if we lack the love of Christ in our hearts.

One of the reasons Jesus attacked the Pharisees as much as He did is because they didn't walk in love. Sadly, we find that this hypocrisy is very much alive in the body of Christ today. We even talk, and preach about God's love...but we do not practice it.
Everyday, many Christians pass up opportunities to do something good for someone else. Amazingly and ironically too, such are so full of expectation for good things to happen to them.

Truth is that we should not even profess to love God if we don't love others. Infact, the love we show others is proof that we love God. Love is the fulfillment of the law. As Christians we must love God will all our heart, soul, and might...and love our neighbors as our self (In order to know what God's definition of love is, read verses 4-7 of this same scripture). If we are not walking in love, how can we be a witness to unbelievers about Jesus?

As I end this piece, I urge you to take some moments of solitude and examine your heart. Is the love of God truly resident in you? Is this love evident in the way you behave towards others?

There's no need to despair if you have fallen short in this area. God Himself will help you fulfill this aspect of your Christian-walk. If you can truly surrender your shortcomings to God, because He does love you, He will help you be the Christian that you ought to be.

I'll definitely pray this prayer for myself too because...I do know I fall short, everyday.