1 Corinthians 13:1-3
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
Sometimes this is a hard one to wrap your head around. We get so stuck on doing the right thing, we leave out the main thing. Doing the right thing is obviously important, but apparently, it doesn't impress God too much if you leave out love. I think it is safe to assume that this directly relates to the two greatest commandments, love God, love your neighbor. The other eight commandments are important, but here's the thing, if you are obeying the two greatest, the other eight fall into place.
Same with gifts of the Spirit, etc. If you have love, those gifts mean a lot more. I've personally known people who have great gifts and seem pretty well accomplished (spiritually) and yet some of their actions leave you wondering. (i.e. The List)
It would seem that operating the gifts and obeying the other eight is fairly simple...and that must be why the two greatest are about love. That can seem complicated at times. I will be the first to admit that I certainly have not perfected the whole love thing...but am working on putting it in it's rightful place. First.
