Merry Christmas & are you smarter than a 4th grader and greater than John-the-Baptist?

MERRY CHRIST-MASS TO ALL!

Greetings in the name of our expected Lord Christ - in the womb and from the tomb! I hope that everyone is having a Merry Christmas and if not, pray that He shall make it so. Lookin forward to seeing you guys again!

It is not often in my random biblical ramblings that I come across the same verse twice, but that was the case here this one puzzled me in many regards and gave me insight in some. Especially the last verse. Here it is:

Matthew 11:7-11

“As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?
What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces.
What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written,
‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’

Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

But what is significant about what Christ is saying about John and what does that have to do with us? In light of the following verse, I would really like to hear ya'lls thoughts on this.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Love
1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

Now I know we are more familiar with this last passage than we are with the first. The main thing sitting on my mind is the concept of why John was so great among men and yet of those in the Kingdom, he was purportedly the least, whether in actuality or by Jesus' clever use of a metaphor. I my musings I found this familiar chapter on love and I think it has a good bit to do with explaining what Jesus meant and how we as Christians should live, but I dont want to exegete just yet, I would like to see how ya'll are struck by these.