A More Excellent Way

"And I show you a still more excellent way."

1 Corinthians 12:31

The Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians about the use of spiritual gifts. How they are given to each person as God wills, and how they are to be used to build up the church, which is the body of Christ.  And then He goes on to show them "a still more excellent way" than zealously aspiring to the place of apostles, prophets or leaders, and that is to love. In chapter  13 he describes this love -- this more excellent way -- for the Corinthians, and for us: 

"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

Love is not a spiritual gift. It is a way of life -- the way of our Savior. Every Christian is to apprehend it and live it. It's not optional. It's a command. Jesus said "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).  Love is to be the motivation behind the exercising of our spiritual gifts. It is a more excellent way. 

Stewards of God's Manifold Grace

"As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 

1 Peter 4:10

Have you ever thought of yourself as a steward of God's manifold grace? If you are a follower of Christ, that's exactly what you are. God's manifold grace -- His many-faceted grace -- is displayed through the many and varied spiritual gifts of His children. It's grace upon grace. We do nothing to deserve the gift (or in some cases gifts). Our Father graciously gives them to us as He chooses. His grace then moves through us to others, as we minister to them with these gifts. Upon receiving God's grace in this way, those we serve then praise Him and give Him the glory. F.B. Meyer paints a beautiful word picture of this action: "Manifold grace is many-coloured grace. As when a ray of light breaks into a spray of many hues, so each of us receives God's grace at a different angle, and flashes it back broken up into some fresh colour."