The Sandwich - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2026

But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
1 Corinthians 12:31

The Sandwich
We all enjoy good food, whether it is good home cooking, or eating at a favorite local diner, or perhaps even on rare occasions, a gourmet restaurant. But there is one eating pleasure that we do not often think about, and that is the reliable, handy sandwich! Sometimes the hard-working laborer's lunch box contains a nice ham and cheese sandwich—nothing better when one has worked hard all morning! Perhaps you have your own favorite, like peanut butter and jelly, but we have all enjoyed a good sandwich at different times.

The thought of the reliable, tasty sandwich came to mind when reading Paul's doctrine of "gifts" in 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14. Our verse today introduces the "love chapter." We read it at weddings, but it is really not about marriage. It is sandwiched, as it were, between the two "gift" chapters. In chapter 12 and in chapter 14 Paul elaborates on the various spiritual gifts, with the emphasis on the importance of edification—the building up of our fellow-believers in the things of God.

However, the apostle says there is "a more excellent way." People are sometimes worried that they have no special "gift" from the Lord. They sometimes even complain and say, "I have no gift." But Paul in effect is saying, "Can you love?" Because love is greater than gift, Paul says it is the more excellent way. It is the ham and cheese (or the peanut butter and jelly) between the two slices of bread of chapters 12 and 14. It is the real thing.

Let us remember this: it is not that the gifts of edification are unimportant—they are indeed necessary; but it takes no special gift to love: