1 Corinthians 12:31

"But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way."

The higher gifts! How can there be higher gifts for us to desire when the whole point of the passage seems to be indicating that we are all important and that there are no higher gifts? I believe that today's reader naturally assumes something about this verse that is misleading. There is nothing wrong with the verse, but our understanding of it is flawed.

Here are two other translations/paraphrases that seem to fit the context better. The first says "And yet some of you keep competing for so-called 'important' parts. But now I want to lay out a far better way for you" (The Message). The second says "So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all" (New Living Translation).

Both of these translations reflect the fact that spiritual gifts are not to be desired for selfish reasons. The Message interprets the statement as a rebuke for those who were selfishly desiring the gift(s) that they had erroneously viewed as more important, presumably because the exercising of the gift was more public. The New Living Translation takes the position that "higher" means most helpful. Therefore, you should desire gifts that will allow you to be the most help to the church that you can be.

I think that The Message's interpretation fits the context most naturally. This is what you have been doing, but there is a better way. Then we enter chapter 13, showing us that better way.