A couple of weeks ago I was teaching a Bible story to the kids in my Sunday night class at church. The story was about the angel, Gabriel, coming to tell Mary that she was going to have baby Jesus.  As I was preparing to tell the story, I read Gabriel’s words to Mary from the Luke 1:26-38. Verse 28 reads, “The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.'” Of course, as you can imagine, Mary is taken back by seeing an angel in front of her and hearing him speak, so Gabriel goes on in verse 30 to say, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.”

Twice in these verses Gabriel emphasizes that Mary is favored by God. As I read those words they seemed to catch my attention for the first time. Mary was highly favored. Mary found favor with God. I had to stop and think about this for a minute. I mean, what I know about favor is often intertwined with what I know about favoritism in today’s world. You know, people doing things for a certain person or group of people to make their way easy or arranged; making sure certain people have what they want without concern for anybody else or the greater good. Favoritism is all around us. It’s in government. It’s in society. It’s in the workplace, and sadly, it’s even in some homes.

In Mary’s case she was a special young lady. She was pure and set apart, and she certainly lived a life that honored God through her choices. I’m sure Mary had many wonderful qualities and characteristics, but God saw something even deeper inside of Mary. God knew that she would be given this monumental, extraordinary, yet incomprehensible task, and despite her lack of understanding about the “hows” and “whys,” he knew she would be obedient because of one reason. She loved and trusted Him.  Mary was NOT chosen because she was God’s favorite. I know this because God doesn’t have a favorite; he can’t have a favorite because God doesn’t show favoritism. Romans 2:11 is very clear about that, “For God does not show favoritism.”

Knowing all this doesn’t stop the devil from wanting us to believe that people who have less problems in life are more favored by God and those who have tragedy and problems have less favor. I believe some people even secretly wonder what other people have done wrong for God to allow such pain in their lives. I can write this because I have even thought, “God, what did I do that was so horrible that you would allow such tragedy in my family?”  Believe me, I know that kind of thinking is exactly what Satan wants me to think. If I believe that God has favorites and loves them more, I will become jealous and resentful of those people who appear to be on his list of “Highly Favored People.” Then, I will start blaming God for allowing me to hurt when others don’t seem to.

Think about Mary’s life. Even though she was highly favored she certainly experienced heartache and pain. Her life was not made easy. If anything God’s plan made it more difficult for her. Imagine the fear she felt wondering what Joseph would think about the pregnancy. Imagine that donkey ride to Bethlehem and giving birth in a stable. Imagine the accountability she felt about about raising God’s only child. Imagine the sleepless nights worrying about how God’s plan would be fulfilled. Imagine the hurt she experienced as she watched her pure and perfect son being tortured and hung on a cross for impure and  imperfect people like you and me. It sure doesn’t sound like Mary was on God’s list of favorites.

Thankfully, God does not act like we humans do. The great news……God does not have, nor will he ever have, a  list of  “Highly Favored People!” He doesn’t give special treatment to his friends, the most attractive, the strongest, the richest, the most influential, the most popular, the smartest, or the most anything!  He shows absolutely no favoritism. Period.

God’s favor. It doesn’t mean that strings will be pulled to make the road easy, but it does mean that God honors a heart that loves and trusts in him. The kind of heart that is willing to say yes to whatever task God assigns, regardless of the pain associated with it. The kind of heart that understands that pain in life is not God’s punishment but often times God’s grace. The kind of heart that wants to give up but keeps on believing that God’s plan is best.

God’s favor. It’s not a promise that your problems have been taken away, but it is a guarantee that if you hang with Him, he will not let you down. It’s an extra reminder that things may get rough for a while, but if you stick with him, he will not only walk beside you, he will carry you. I’ve felt that kind of favor. I’m a living testimony to a God who has carried me through some very dark days.

God’s favor. Available to us because of a special baby that was born through an obedient, favored young girl long ago.

God’s favor. Definitely not favoritism but freely given to all.

The Holt Rowland Foundation wishes you and your family a very Merry Christmas and plenty of God’s favor too. 🙂