Primacy of LOVE

I was in a church service yesterday morning with my wife at Westside-A Jesus Church.  At one point, a guy named Greg was sharing about the great love that Jesus displayed as he hung on the cross, and the example He was setting for those of us who would follow in His steps.  I really appreciated what he said…my favorite was,
      “Let’s not save-up love like we’re going to retire on it, but give love away like we’re made of it.”

I loved that!  So often, I think we forget the primacy of love!  It reminded me of several scriptures that challenge and enlighten me today to keep the MAIN THING the main thing:

“If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn’t love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn’t love others, what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would be of no value whatsoever.” (1 Co 13:1)

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” (1 Jn 3:16-19)

“There are three things that will endure—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)