I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Corinthians 12-14

The Holy Spirit gives different spiritual gifts to different people.  The fact that someone does not have a particular gift does not indicate that they do not have the Holy Spirit.  There are three exceptions to this rule.  Everyone who has the Holy Spirit receives faith, hope, and love.  In fact, if we exercise our other spiritual gifts without love they are of no value whatsoever.  Paul even makes sure we know what it means to act in love:

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

I generally try to rewrite in my own words the meaning of a passage, but this is such a perfect summary of love, and not just romantic love, but the love which God asks us to have for our neighbor.  

Before and after writing about the importance of love, Paul writes that we should desire the less flashy, less attention grabbing spiritual gifts more than their counterparts.  Speaking in tongues is a wonderful spiritual gift, but prophecy is more to be desired.  We should seek the ability to comfort those who are hurting more than the ability to shine in the spotlight.