Among the Corinthians, for instance, there were very wonderful spiritual gifts. That was something wonderful to praise God for. And in the 12th chapter, he speaks about the gifts of prophecy, and of faith that could remove mountains, and of knowledge as things that they were ardently seeking for. But he tells them these will not profit them unless they have love. They delighted in the gifts and did not care for the graces.
Love is the greatest thing of all, for love is Godlike above everything.
It is a very solemn thing for us to remember that a man may be gifted with prophecy, or he may be a faithful and successful worker . . Yet by the sharpness of his judgment and his pride . . . he may give proof that spiritual graces are too often absent. Beloved fellow Christians, that a carnal person may have spiritual gifts is an unspeakably solemn thought. This truth must bring the most earnest and successful man to his knees before God. God search us and try us, for His name's sake.