The Higher Gifts

Passage: 1 Corinthians 12:27-13:3

Renowned author and priest Henri Nouwen invested much of his remaining time on earth in one person – a severely disabled man named Adam.  During his career Nouwen earned doctoral degrees in theology and psychology.  He served as a professor, fellow, and scholar-in-residence at several prestigious academic institutions, including Yale.  His writing included more than 40 books, and garnered him awards and international accolades.  Any observer would have said that Nouwen reached the apex of his career when he arrived at Harvard Divinity in 1983.  And yet from there he moved to L’Arche Daybreak, a community of disabled and able-bodied people living in close partnership.  For the last 10 years of his life, Nouwen was partnered with Adam.  For two hours every morning, and two hours every night, Nouwen tended Adam’s basic needs.  Four hours a day committed to the most menial tasks a person could serve.

In 1 Corinthians 12, the Apostle Paul lists the gifts, or abilities, that God gives members of the church.  The gift of prophecy; the gift of interpreting the language of the angels; the gift of preaching powerfully; the gift of teaching compellingly; the gift of healing; the gift of performing other miraculous acts.  Paul lists all these.  Then Paul adds, “But earnestly desire the higher gifts.”  What higher gift could there be than healing and performing miracles? 

Paul answers that question with his famous discourse on love.  He says, “I could have every excellent and sensational ability in the world.  But if I don’t have love, none of it matters.”  What are the higher gifts?  The gifts that express love.  And how is love best expressed?  In the giving up of your life for someone else.  Acts of compassion; generosity; humility.  Feeding those not yet able to feed themselves.  Changing the bedding of those no longer able to take themselves to the bathroom.  Lingering over a cup of coffee with someone who doesn’t know where they’ll be sleeping tonight.  Precious hours spent out of the public eye, invested in one hurting, humble soul at a time.  These are the higher gifts. 

This is what Henri Nouwen, the brilliant scholar, winning author, gifted speaker and man after  God’s own heart learned.  After mastering the public and prestigious gifts, he went on to achieve the higher gifts.  The gifts of humility; of invisible and sacrificial service; of life-giving compassion; of love.  Ignore the voice of a culture which celebrates only that which is achieved in the public eye.  Earnestly desire the higher gifts.