Scripturally, where spiritual gifts are mentioned or ministry in general is mentioned, the word “LOVE” is in close proximity to the message of how to minister or operate in your gift. This paper focuses on the spiritual gifts aspect in particular but is applicable to ministry in general.
Here are the primary scriptures pertaining to Spiritual Gifts:
The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12 about the various means by which God’s spirit gets worked into our lives. Then he proceeds to explain the concept of spiritual gifts and how they are activated in the life of believers. The next chapter lays out the way to use the gifts…The Way of Love. Then Chapter 14 says, “Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does.” When teaching the fundamentals of spiritual gifts, students are taught they must minister in love, above all else.
Again in Romans Chapter 12: 4-8 Paul again enumerates and explains spiritual gifts using the metaphor of the human body. Then he picks up the love theme in verses 9-10: “Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. …Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.”
In Ephesians 4 the spiritual gifts message is sandwiched between admonitions to love. “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (4:2) and in 4: 15 Paul says, “…speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head that is Christ.”
1 Peter 4: 10-11 also talks about how to use your spiritual gifts. In the verse that precedes the spiritual gifts verses, Paul writes this: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.”
1 Timothy 4:14 Paul tells his young mentee not to neglect his gifts. And in the preceding verse he encourages Timothy by saying, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for believers in speech, in life, in love…”
In summary, all our works must be motivated by “love”. It can never be a mechanical, rote experience. According to Fuchsia Pickett in her book, Presenting the Holy Spirit, if a gift is exercised without the proper motivation of love, it will not edify the Body of Christ. Love is not a spiritual gift; it is the way by which we are to be guided and motivated. According to Paul, anyone who exercises her gift without love becomes nothing and gains nothing. Love should always be the motivation for seeking and the way of expressing each of the spiritual gifts. Scripturally works of ministry and love are usually in close proximity to one another and proximity matters.