first corinthians thirteen.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three… but the greatest of these is love. (v13)

.: love > hope
   love > faith.

Which is why:
v2:       Though I have all faith… but have no love, I am nothing.

                  faith - love = negative number, since love > faith

In other words:

v1:       Speak however eloquently and beautifully you want. Without love, they are only words - annoying, empty, harsh and without merit, useless, not complete/full, not used to their full potential.

v2:       Do whatever good works you want, but ministry and service for God is ultimately pointless without love (love for God, love for people).

v3:      Sacrifice and generosity are useless without love (for God, and for others).

v4:       Love doesn’t show off. When one loves, one does not think more of oneself than they should; love is not arrogant. When one loves, one does not want what belongs to others, or is not theirs to have.

v5:       Love, when shown, is well mannered and not rude (thinks of others’ feelings); love is not selfish, but seeks what is good for others; love is not easily provoked - love is when one is secure and can trust in God; love thinks no evil, but believes the best of others.

In sum (v12): love is the perfection of one’s character.

_{God’s definition of love is so much better than just a feeling…}

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

⁸ He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

⁹ In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

first john chapter four, verses seven to eleven

_{Take my life, I lay it down
At the cross where I am found
All I have I give to you, oh God}

_{Take my hands and make them clean
Keep my heart in purity
THat I may walk in all you have for me}

_{Here I stand, arms open wide
I am Yours, and You are mine}

_{… Lord have Your way in my life.              (Arms Open Wide, by Hillsong United)}