The Most Excellent Way
Month 10: Loving One Another · Bible Story
Today's Scripture
Read together: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Memory Verse
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs.”— 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (BSB)memorize this week
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Matthew 5–7
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time.The Heart of It
The church in Corinth was excited about spiritual gifts. They had speaking in tongues, prophecy, knowledge, even great faith. Those are real and good gifts from the Holy Spirit. But the Corinthians had started to show off with them, almost like a competition. So at the end of chapter 12, Paul says he will show them "a more excellent way" (). Then he writes the most famous chapter on love in the whole Bible. And he tells them something surprising. You can speak in the tongues of angels. You can understand every mystery. You can give away everything you own. You can even hand your body over to be burned. But if you don't have love, it all adds up to nothing.
That's a stunning thing to say. Paul isn't running down the gifts of the Spirit. The same Spirit who gives gifts also pours love into our hearts (). But gifts without love are like a loud, clanging cymbal. They make noise, not music. This is the heartbeat of a Spirit-filled home. We don't chase impressive gifts to look big. We let the Spirit grow real love that makes us like Jesus. Character always matters more than how gifted we are. The most excellent way isn't the flashiest way. It's the loving way.
Around the Table
You can do lots of clever tricks. But the best, most special thing of all is to love people. Love is the very best!
Let's do it: Bang a pot like a noisy cymbal. Then give someone a gentle hug. Which one feels better?
Paul says doing big things without love is just loud noise. God cares most about a loving heart, not a showy one.
Let's talk: Name something good that wouldn't really matter if you did it without love.
The Holy Spirit gives real gifts. But they're worth "nothing" without love. The way of love is the most excellent way to use any gift.
Let's go deeper: Why do you think God values love even more than amazing abilities?
💬 Conversation Starter
What's the loudest, most annoying noise you can think of?— Paul says doing great things without love sounds just like that to God!
🛡️ Defending the Faith
How do we know this letter really came from Paul and the early church? 1 Corinthians is one of the best-proven letters in all of history. Christian writers were quoting it within one lifetime, and no one seriously doubted it. When we explain that, we do it gently and with respect (). The love Paul describes shapes even how we defend the faith.
For Dad · Go Deeper
It's worth sitting with how counter-cultural Paul is here, even inside church culture. We naturally measure people by output, talent, and visible results. We measure ourselves the same way. But Paul measures by love. A classic, balanced Pentecostal conviction holds the gifts of the Spirit firmly and insists that fruit outranks gifting every time. So here is the searching question for a father. In your home, what gets praised loudest? If achievement and cleverness get more applause than kindness and patience, your kids learn to chase the cymbal. Lead them back to the more excellent way, and lead yourself there too. That's the way where love is the point and the gifts are servants of love.
Draws on: Sam Storms, The Beginner's Guide to Spiritual Gifts.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, thank You for the good gifts of Your Spirit. But teach us the most excellent way, the way of love. Don't let us settle for being impressive when You are calling us to be loving. Pour Your love into our hearts. Make us like Jesus. In Jesus' name, amen."
Without love, even my best is just noise. So love is where I'll begin.