"But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excel-
lent way."
After the Apostle Paul spends most of a chapter describing various spiritual gifts given to the church--some of which are still in use today; and others of which are not--he enjoins us to go after the "best" ones, but then tells us of "a more excellent way." This superla-
tive path, of course, is that of love, elucidated so famously in the next chapter (1 Cor. 13).
Gifts and love are not at odds; but love is greater in every way. Gifts are of no account without love. The devil has excellent gifts (from God), but he has no proper love (for God). Let us employ our various God-given abilities fully and well--but let us always do it out of love for Christ and His church.
[Puritan quote of the day: "The more sweetness a Christian finds in any work, the greater is his affliction if he lacks that work." --William Bridge, in "A Lifting Up for the Downcast"]
