“… And now I will show you the most excellent way” 1 Corinthians 12:31b

As most of you would already have heard, this year’s Oscars created quite a stir. Will Smith’s infamous slap has rocked the Oscars and created history. Most can understand why Will Smith would feel anger over an insensitive joke about his wife and the effect it had on her, but most would also agree that the way he expressed that anger (through violence) is unacceptable. A day after the incident, Will Smith issued an apology to the comedian, Chris Rock, and to the academy and to viewers at home, saying he was “out of line” and that his actions were not indicative of the man he wants to be. This unfortunate episode is not for us to think about how we are better than Will Smith but a good opportunity to take some pause to consider how we would have reacted to such a situation and what would be the most loving response to such a situation. For example, if someone made an insensitive remark to you or your loved ones while you are having lunch at a food court, how would you respond in the most loving and God-glorifying way?

In 1 Corinthians 12 & 13, the Corinthians were elevating the more prominent gifts over the other less prominent gifts and using their giftedness (in the more prominent gifts) as the measure of spirituality. And that is where Paul had to step in and correct them of this false notion. The Corinthians are not to exalt a person with a certain gift as more spiritual than the rest but rather allow love to be the foundation in which all gifts ought to operate. Paul even says that even if we give sacrificially and even suffer martyrdom in ministry, our sacrifice is in vain if we “have not love” (13:3). This means, that even though we are serving, we remain unprofitable servants as long as our service is not undergirded by love. In other words, contrary to the Corinthians’ belief, the true measure of spirituality is not gifting but love. And very thankfully, Paul did not allow us to imagine what love looks like but went on to paint a clear picture of it: the truly spiritual person who serves with love is:

1) patient,

2) kind,

3) does not envy,

4) does not boast,

5) is not proud,

6) does not dishonor others,

7) is not self-seeking,

8) is not easily angered,

9) keeps no record of wrongs,

10) does not delight in evil

11) rejoices with the truth,

12) always protects,

13) always trusts,

14) always hopes,

15) always perseveres.

A gifted Christian is not necessarily spiritual but a loving Christian (as defined by Paul) is definitely one that is spiritual. But then again, if I tell myself, I should be, say…“not easily angered” (v5), so that I can appear spiritual to others, then I HAVE TOTALLY MISSED THE POINT. A loving nature is the work of the Spirit and is developed out of a close walk with God.

Many years back, at a conference that I attended, I was pleasantly struck by something that the keynote speaker said which I thought contained so much wisdom. He said (as best as I could remember) that we can always keep our cool (not easily angered) because we know that God is in control. In other words, when we lose our cool and react like a short-fuse hot-head instead of responding calmly to the situation, we are allowing our temper to take control. And what’s wonderful is that he pointed us to Jesus; how Jesus is always so cool, calm, and composed. Yet, there is a place for holy anger as the speaker also draws our attention to the portion where Jesus needed to cleanse the temple. Jesus did not lose His cool in the sense that He had full control of his anger; His fiery disposition was totally purposeful and intentional and no, He did not slap nor beat up anybody. The Bible calls it “zeal”.   When we have a clear understanding that God is in control, we can keep our cool; we are “not easily angered” not because we want to appear loving and spiritual but because there is a deep peace within that tells us that God is in control. The key to being a loving Christian; a spiritual Christian is to walk with God; to know Him and His ways (only then will we have that deep assurance that He is in control). And that is a journey that none of us can really say that we have arrived. That is why our life mission as Christ-followers is to walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8).