“But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.” ~ 1 Corinthians 12:31, NKJV
Paul spends much of 1 Corinthians 12 discussing spiritual gifts. He emphasizes that these gifts, while diverse, are all from one God and one Spirit. Individual believers are members of the body of Christ (the church), and their unique assortment of spiritual gifts supports the function of the body just as the members of our physical bodies supports their functions. Paul urges the Corinthians to desire the best gifts (for the role God had for each one), but he also says, “And yet I show you a more excellent way.” This "more excellent way" is love, discussed at length in chapter 13. Without love we have nothing. Paul says himself in chapter 13, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing." Even the best spiritual gifts are worth nothing without love. The selfishly ambitious, prideful, and divided Corinthians were primed to misuse and abuse even the best spiritual gifts due to the fact that love was not foremost in their hearts. Love rises above spiritual gifts and even faith. Our God IS love. If love for Him (which becomes possible for us after we receive His love for us) is not the overarching, dominating factor of our lives, we have nothing and we are nothing worthwhile. It will all burn. It will all be futile, empty, vain. We will have nothing to show for ourselves or our labor, because we were invested in things impermanent and unimportant. Earnestly desire the best gifts, yes, Paul is saying - but there is something better. The way of love is more excellent than all the other ways one can take. And it leads to joy and everlasting life.
by Rebecca...
