Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ
Right back at the start of the letter Paul indicates that the Church in Corinth had leadership issues. The members were divided over whom to give allegiance. ‘I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.’ (1:10) So he approaches the issue obliquely now. Just look at the list of gifted people he mentions in v 28 onwards. They are the public and prominently gifted people – perhaps the Corinthians saw them as at the very top of the tree of gifts! These were the gifts that some people might have coveted – ‘I want to be leader and recognised as important.’ Some people just love to have that kind of recognition, it bolsters their self-worth and they become important in their own eyes. I can almost hear Paul saying ‘Of course these leadership and up-front gifts are important but hang on a moment let me tell you something even more important and it is for you all.
‘So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life is best of all.’ (v 31)
WHAT? Some gift more important than leadership? YES – the way of love!