THE MORE EXCELLENT WAY
"But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way" (1 Cor. 12:31).
What are the best spiritual gifts? They are the ones that best serve and edify the body of Christ. Indeed, God gives gifts to build up his church, not to inflate personal egos. Yet, some in the Corinth church used their gifts in a self-serving way. Therefore, in chapter 13, Paul directs them toward a "more excellent way." The way of love.
Love sees through a lens of equality and care. However, the Corinthians considered some gifts superior to others, particularly tongues (languages). Such an attitude promoted pride in those who possessed that gift and inferiority in those who didn't.
What was the root problem? The members weren't serving each other out of love. As the apostle declares, one may have all faith, know all prophecy and mysteries, speak angelically, and give all to those in need. Yet, without love, "It profits me nothing."
Spirituality does not stem from knowledge, virtue, or giftedness. Instead, it arises from God's transformative love within the heart and its ready outflow to others. The Corinthians, therefore, missed the fundamental essence of love. So, Paul spells out attributes of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, "Love suffers long and is kind...love never fails!"
Divine love is never self-centered, boastful, or proud. Instead, it's an other-centered love that is selfless, sacrificial, forgiving, humble, and long-suffering. Love is the foremost fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Therefore, the only way to obtain it is by receiving the Spirit. Through the Spirit, we receive God's heart.
By substituting Jesus' name for the word" love" in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, you will find that Jesus suffers long and is kind...Jesus never fails! Spiritual gifts are essential, as they reveal the living Christ working through his people. But God is not prophecy nor tongues. No! He is love (1 John 4:8,16). Therefore, love is the ultimate revealer of him, and love will never fail.
The Greek word translated as "fail" in verse 8 indicates a stopping or ceasing. In other words, love will never end! In 1 Corinthians 13:8-10, Paul is addressing its permanence. Unlike love, the gifts will cease when Christ returns and usher us into his eternal kingdom. Even faith and hope will have accomplished their mission and be needed no more.
Paul spoke, understood, and thought like a child when he was a child. However, he put childish things and attitudes away when he matured. We should expect nothing less. But thinking that I am more spiritual than others because I have more knowledge, a better gift, greater oratory, a higher position, or by causing divisions reveals spiritual immaturity. When Christ returns, he expects to gather a mature bride, not a childish one.
In a wedding, where is the bride's heart and eyes fixed? Is it not on her groom, whom she adores? In contrast, the flower girl's attention is on the cake and festivities, not the groom. What about your focus? If it is on the Lord, use your gifts and "through love, serve one another" (Galatians 5:13). It's the more excellent way.