We learn from the Apostle John that Love is the beginning of our relationship with God and the Apostle Paul tells us the same thing in regard to the gifts of the spirit. If we are operating them without love then nothing that we do will be worth a hill of beans as far as God is concerned.

1 Corinthians 13:2 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.

It's not that we should just have love and ignore the gifts. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:31 to seek earnestly the greater gifts, even covet them, but the best way is out of a heart of love.

God gives gifts to men but they can use them as a duty or even in a self-serving way to elevate themselves. Jesus himself warned against this.

Matthew 7:21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

So let's put love at the top of our agenda as the motivation for all we do. That's God's way and He calls us to be like Him. We are to 'Be holy as our heavenly Father is holy'.