It is love, then, that you should strive for. Set your hearts on spiritual gifts, especially the gift of proclaiming God's message.

But those who proclaim God's message speak to people and give them help, encouragement, and comfort.

I would like for all of you to speak in strange tongues; but I would rather that you had the gift of proclaiming God's message. For the person who proclaims God's message is of greater value than the one who speaks in strange tongues---unless there is someone present who can explain what is said, so that the whole church may be helped.

But if everyone is proclaiming God's message when some unbelievers or ordinary people come in, they will be convinced of their sin by what they hear. They will be judged by all they hear,

their secret thoughts will be brought into the open, and they will bow down and worship God, confessing, "Truly God is here among you!"

Set your hearts, then, on the more important gifts. Best of all, however, is the following way.

do not despise inspired messages.