Recently, I watched a video clip of a young boy asking his mother who her favorite child was. It was clear he was attempting to cajole her into choosing him. Not to be outdone by her son’s persuasion, she responded with a bit of coaxing herself.
The condensed takeaway was that any of her children could be her favorite at any given time. All they need do was to act according to her preferences of an obedient child by fulfilling the demands she placed upon them as her offspring. The one who most closely followed her directives would be her favorite. Thus, each child had an equal opportunity to pursue her favor.
In short, she placed the burden of favoritism at her son’s feet with the incentive that he could achieve this favored position on his own.
While this answer may be advantageous for Mom, I am thankful it is not reminiscent of our heavenly Father’s parenting mode.
I believe God is more likely to side with a different mother. When asked which of her children she loved the most, Susanna Wesley replied, “I love the one who’s sick until she’s well and the one who’s away until he comes.”
I daresay Susanna perceived this question differently than most people do. She didn’t view it with a sense of favoritism. Instead, she based her answer on the quantity of love needed from her as a mother. The love extended had nothing to do with her children’s performance and everything to do with their lack.
The one she “loved most’ was the one most in need of it.
Susanna’s tender heart indicated a compassionate love leaning toward God. A Father who longs for the prodigal to return home. A Savior, sitting with the sick, bringing hope and healing into every situation.
Unlike the mother telling her son he can earn her favor through compliance, God’s heart is for the disobedient wanderer as equally as it is for those who are walking close to Him. While the benefits of obedience are noticeable, there is no variation in His love. It is not influenced by nor is it dependent upon our behavior.
There’s no need to strive for a favored position in God’s kingdom. No need to feel inferior or superior to another. No need to earn God’s notice since you already have it.
It was nothing of your own making anyway.
The bottom line of it all is grace. Unwavering mercy against all odds, unfailing compassion no matter how wayward the prodigal. Or how righteous. Thankfully, ours is not a performance-based acceptance, or we might find ourselves continually on the outs of the kingdom.
Hear this clearly: There is nothing you can do or fail to do that will ever alter God’s love toward you.
He never changes, even though we are the most fickle of folks.
His loyalty never shifts from one child to the other.
His favor rests upon each of us equally.
Father’s love is not based upon our goodness but on His own. It has nothing to do with us and everything to do with His character and perfect love.
Even on my best days, I am neither whole nor righteous. I live as one in constant need of grace, dependent upon God for my every breath. His presence is what gives me favor. And it is always available.
If you want to be God’s favorite, rest easy, beloved.
You already are.
And so am I.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FOR REFLECTION
The kingdom of God is a conglomeration of Father’s favorites.
There’s no need for comparison.
No competition to achieve His love.
No coaxing, mimicking, or manipulation has any place here.
In truth, there’s only One worth imitating. And that is Jesus.
Do your best to walk in ways that honor God, knowing that obedience breeds reward. But always remember that God’s love breathes favor upon you even when you are at your worst. All because you trust in Christ.
When tempted to believe you are somehow less than your spiritual siblings, open up the Bible and take a good look at your position. And know that it is secure in Him.
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
– Ephesians 1:5, NLT
For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
– Galatians 3:26,NLT
There is [now no distinction in regard to salvation] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you [who believe] are all one in Christ Jesus [no one can claim a spiritual superiority].
– Galatians 3:28, Amplified Bible