Since all nine of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are obviously good, who is to judge which are better or best? It is a proper question, since this verse urges us to become earnestly desirous of “the best.” This literally means to “be jealous for the best gift to manifest.” How can we make that choice? The answer is that we can’t, and we don’t have to, because the Holy Spirit is fully ready to make that selection.
The Holy Spirit decides which gift He wants to be given, or expresssed by someone. He also decides where or for whom the gift is intended. But He gives these gifts to people through the use of “delivery agents,” that is, believers who are willing to let the Holy Spirit give His gift through them to the intended recipient.
To “earnestly desire the best gifts” can never be understood as long as I view myself as a “recipient and keeper” of a gift of the Holy Spirit. But when I begin to see that He is wanting to use me as an assigned agent to deliver one of His gifts to someone needing a prophetic word, healing, or a miracle, I can learn to live in prayerful availability for His use.
