The Greatest Gift

What is the most valuable gift that can be offered to a hurting world? Creation waits with eager longing for the manifestation of God’s sons (Rom 8:19). What is it that is so desirable in the sons of God? What unique and precious gift do they have to offer to the world?

Surely it is the ability to understand all knowledge and mysteries that is the greatest gift to the world. Or perhaps it is having faith strong enough to move mountains that is most needed in this hour. Now I think of it, perhaps it is the willingness to give away all one’s possessions that is most valuable. Wait. Perhaps it is other-worldly experiences and an ability to speak in the language of angels that is the highest achievement … or the possession of amazing prophetic powers … or a radical preparedness to lay down one’s life for the cause. Is it not a people that possess such knowledge and abilities and zeal that all creation groans for? Wouldn’t such a people transform the world with these gifts?

The truth is that even if we possessed all of these things, without Heaven’s humble gift of love, we are nothing. Brothers and sisters, without love, we could boast all these things and yet be nothing.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have to the poor, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 1 Cor 13:1-3

Of our Heavenly Father’s three abiding gifts to humanity – faith, hope, and love – love is the greatest (1 Cor 13:13). Throughout the ages, humanity has witnessed the achievements of many gifted and zealous men and women. It is tempting to desire their noble human qualities and remarkable gifts and yet overlook the humble – and greatest – gift of all. Andrew Murray writes:

In the foreground [are] the manly virtues, such as zeal, courage, and diligence. But we need to see how the gentler virtues – kindness, humbleness, meekness, and long-suffering – are specially connected with dependence upon the Holy Spirit. They were never found in the heathen world. Christ was needed to come from heaven to teach them to us.

As a disciple of Christ, our maturity cannot be measured by our giftedness or spiritual experiences or knowledge or zeal. True maturity is seen in our ability to walk in radical love towards God and our fellow man. The Divine kind of love that Jesus taught and demonstrated simply cannot be sourced in fallen humanity. We can, in our own strength, love those who love us but … to love our enemies? That is Divine. We can, in our own strength, bless those who bless us but … to bless those who persecute us? That is Divine. We can, in our own strength, forgive those who repent and seek forgiveness but … to intercede for evil men as they unjustly take our lives? That is Divine.

We can be a courageous zealot in our labours for the Lord, a certifiable mystic when it comes to spiritual experiences, a formidable scholar when it comes to Bible knowledge. But if we don’t have flowing from our lives the sweet anointing that comes from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ, we have nothing. Maturity in Christ is not determined by our knowledge and revelations, our spiritual experiences, or our zeal. Maturity in Christ is seen in our ability to walk in the God-kind of love that Jesus taught and demonstrated. To walk in that kind of radical love is humanly impossible. It is only as we continually rest our head on Jesus’ bosom and learn of Him, that we can walk in and flow forth radical, Divine love. This is the measure of true maturity in Christ.

Peter was a zealot who became useful in the Master’s hands only after he became totally demoralised by his own weaknesses and marinated in the love of Christ. 

Paul was another zealot who discovered that his own strength was actually a hindrance to God’s power manifesting in his life. While Paul could produce a long list of credentials in the areas of knowledge and revelations, and spiritual experiences, and sacrificial zeal, he knew the folly in doing so. Paul understood the wisdom in boasting only of the things that showed his weaknesses (2 Cor 11:30).

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Cor 12:9

The fullest life, with the greatest impact in this world, is discovered by those who become conduits of radical, Divine love through their sincere and pure devotion to Christ; through their life-long romance with Jesus. These are the sons of God that creation waits with eager longing to be manifested. Radical, Divine love never fails (1 Cor 13:8). This is the greatest gift to humanity. And faith worketh by such love (Gal 5:6).

...the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Rom 5:5