1 Corinthians 12:31b English Standard Version (ESV) And I will show you a still more excellent way.

Covet our gifts rightly and then God will show us a more excellent way. Since we are picking up where we left off yesterday, let us go on to a more excellent way. What could be more excellent than obedience of faith in service to our God? 1^st Corinthians 13 follows up with agape love, God’s perfect performance of love and all that it does.

Trying to perform those acts of love by human effort leads to failure because we are human and not yet perfected. As we read all the wonderful attributes of God’s perfect love we become a little overwhelmed and the first thing we lose sight of is what God said in 1^st Corinthians 12:31b.

God will show you how to do it.

Ephesians 3:16-19 English Standard Version

¹⁶ that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Covet the love that abides in us. Let that love be the motivation of our hearts so that we may be able to do in His strength what we could not do in our own.

Mark 12:30 English Standard Version (ESV) And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

At the time that Jesus said that mankind did not have the strength to love with all our hearts. Now on this side of the Cross, having the abiding love of Christ in us, we have the ability to allow God to love others as only He can if we but covet the love that abides in us.

Coveting the agape love in us will allow us to forgo any fleshly appeals to love less.

1 Corinthians 12:31a English Standard Version (ESV) But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

The 12^th chapter of 1^st Corinthians identifies the service gifts. Which are the higher gifts? The KJV uses the wording “covet earnestly the best gifts”. The same is true of bother versions. Which gifts are better or higher?

Coming from a Charismatic background I have witnessed a diverse opinion on the matter. Some would hold that their own particular gifts are the best and others should aspire to possess them. That attitude causes dissentions within the body of Christ and that is not what God wants for His children.

Take the approach that these gifts are from God are to be used with purpose to edify the body of Christ and bring unity to fellowship. It is best to accept our gifts with purpose and honor the giver with the proper use of the gifts to serve His purpose.

From the moment we became born again children of God it has been God’s design that we should grow in Christ and mature. Good fathers give responsibilities to their children according to the maturity of the child to succeed in responsibilities. God does not grow failures. He corrects behaviors to align the child within the boundaries of their responsibilities. Once they have proven themselves to be trustworthy, it is the father’s responsibility to promote the child to a position of more responsibility.

Luke 12:48b English Standard Version (ESV) Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

Covet the gift given and be faithful to perform those responsibilities in accordance with God’s plan. If we do this we will discover what God has planned for us as we grow in Christ and mature.

1 Corinthians 12:31b English Standard Version (ESV) And I will show you a still more excellent way.

Get that right and then God will show you a more excellent way.