The Most Excellent Way

The Most Excellent Way

I Corinthians 12:31 “And now I will show you the most excellent way.”

Any time scripture starts a chapter with a conjunctive word, you have to look back to the chapter before to know what ideas the author is bridging from to make his next point.  So looking back through chapter 12 Paul is sharing about spiritual gifts and the giftings that we use to build up the church.  It is also talking about the church being one body with many parts.  He shares that all the parts are important for the function of the body.  No one part is more important than any other.  While some may be more vocal, prominent or seen, all parts are important to the function. 

Then he makes this statement “And now I will show you the most excellent way.”  So I Corinthians 12 is connected to I Corinthians 13.  What is the most excellent way?  Love.  I Corinthians 13 is famously known as the love chapter.   The most excellent way is love. Whether we are talking about our spiritual gifts or the church.  Love is the most excellent way.  Really I believe this could be applied in so many areas in our life… parenting, friendships, work, going to the grocery store, driving, really anytime we interact with others… love is the most excellent way.  The love described in Chapter 13… it is 

• Patient 

• Kind

• It does not envy

• It does not boast

• It is not proud

• It is not rude

• It is not self seeking

• It keeps no record of wrongs

• It does not delight with evil

• It rejoices with the truth

• Always protects 

• Always trusts

• Always hopes

• Always preserves

This is THE MOST EXCELLENT WAY.

You may ask the way to what? To live. This is the kind of love that wins hearts to Jesus.  It is the kind of love that restores marriages.  It is the kind of love that woos wayward children back home. It is the kind of love that survives tragedy.  It is the kind of love that heals the heart.  It is the kind of love that Jesus displayed on the cross.  And for Christians, it is the love we must strive for every day in our lives. It is not our giftings or the part we play in the church that is the most excellent way.  Those are the tools and abilities God has given us.  What God wants us to do no matter what our role is… is to love well the way he did.

If this is the most excellent way… let’s get back on the right path!

Action Step:  Think of 3 ways you can “love” well someone or people in your path this week.