User blog comment:BlackWizardZeref/Fairy Tail Chapter 394: Juvia vs Keith Review/@comment-188.71.216.109-20140730125810/@comment-7418318-20140730135806

I think he deserves to become more powerful by his own efforts much more than he deserves to be made more powerful by free gifts.

So far Gray got through all his ordeals by his own power and mind. That he fell behind Natsu and can now only catch up by being gifted power from outside forces cheapens his character. It's like saying he can't do it by himself and thus needs the help of others to keep up.