The Higher Path

W. Carl Ketcherside

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     "Set your heart on the higher talents. And yet I will go on to show you a still higher path."

     This is the way James Moffatt translates 1 Corinthians 12:31. He does not make Paul speak disparagingly of those abilities which men may possess. They are not discouraged from trying to attain unto higher talents. Indeed, they are encouraged to set their hearts on achieving these. The community of saints needs the ministration of every gifted person. God has not created a body which needs to be satisfied with inferior performance. Mediocrity is not a sign of spirituality.

     But the men who possess gifts, and the gifts which men possess, should ever be viewed in a proper frame of reference. There is someone who is greater than the men and there is something which is greater than the gifts. "What do you possess that has not been given you? And if it was given you, why do you boast of it as if it had been gained, not given" (1 Cor. 4:7). Though the man who has the "higher talents" may appear to take "the high road" while others of less ability take "the low road" of Christian service it must always be remembered that the "still higher path" can be trodden by all--gifted and ungifted alike!

     The "still higher path" is the path of love. In the days of special dispensations of the Spirit, not all received the gifts. "One man is granted words of wisdom by the Spirit, another words of knowledge by the same Spirit; one man in the same Spirit has the gift of faith, another in the one Spirit has gifts of healing..." The limitation in the reception of these gifts is indicated by the language of the writer, "Are all workers of miracles? Are all endowed with the gifts of healing? Are all able to speak in tongues? Are all able to interpret?"

     But the gift of love, the first fruit of the indwelling Spirit (Gal. 5:23) can be had by all. It is a universal gift to the saints of God. And it is the only hope of unity. We will not be brought together by gifted men. The congregation at Corinth was divided over them. It is only when our hearts are captured and controlled by love--that fierce and unquenchable passion of desire for the good of all--that we shall be welded together. It is useless to possess the gifts unless we are surrendered to love. He who has "the higher talents" and has not love is nothing. This is the plain statement of the inspired writer. We must love ourselves into togetherness. We will never be able to achieve it by debate, dispute or derision. We can never accomplish it through human wisdom or philosophy!

     The attributes of love are the characteristics which alone can usher in a brighter day by creating a united church. We will continue to strive in vain for peace until we learn this lesson. "Love is very patient, very kind. Love knows no jealousy, makes no parade, gives itself no airs, is never rude, never selfish, never irritated, never resentful; love is never glad when others go wrong, love is gladdened by goodness, always slow to expose, always eager to believe the best, always hopeful, always patient."

     We have tried other means and our present state bears mute, but eloquent testimony that any boasted greatness is but hollow mockery. Let us cast ourselves at the feet of Jesus Christ our Lord and confess our error in thinking that we could unite by dividing, or secure peace by force and compulsion. Instead of seeking to expose others, let us expose our hearts in humble contrition, that He may purge away all the dross of hatred and strife. "A broken and a contrite heart he will not despise." We are told to "love one another with a pure heart fervently." Let us begin by purifying our hearts of the party spirit, of the vanity and pride which are born of the sectarian attitude. Free from the spreading contagion of such poison we can be free to love all who love Him "who loved us all and gave himself for us.

     We are free to love our brethren; we are not free to not love them!

     Many of us have been little, factious, hateful and censorious. We have sought for areas of disagreement. We have fomented trouble and stirred up strife. We

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have searched the writings of men, not to learn from them, but to find something with which to condemn them. We have searched the writings of God to find something with which to justify ourselves or our party. Let us now invite all who revere His holy name to join with us in searching those sacred oracles to find the ''still higher path.'' If we had always loved the children of God as we have cherished our own opinions we would not have reduced the Christian plea to the sordid spectacle it now exhibits to an unbelieving world.

     The "higher path" is one in which we can ignore the sting of personal thrusts and insults. We can walk above the consuming spirit of revenge and recrimination. We will not need to think of "getting even" or of "giving as good as we get" because we will be able to forgive and forget! We can even rejoice when we are persecuted and reviled knowing that this introduces us to the company of the prophets who have gone before. What freedom is brought to the spirit when one knows that he can love all of his brethren, that he can climb over walls and barriers on the wings of affection and not be earth-bound by the chains of partisan prejudice.

     Love was a higher path than the special gifts and talents of the Spirit in the days of primitive Christianity. It is still a higher path than the natural gifts and talents of our own day. He who would be more than "a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal" must learn to speak in the tones of love, for without these the tongues of men and of angels are reduced to empty clatter. Regardless of how great and mighty our talents may seem, let us pray, "Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."