I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but I’m God’s favorite.

You see, I grew up as the 4th child in a family with five children, so I understand what it’s like to jockey for the favored child status.  Did that one get the bigger portion for dessert?  Who did better on their report card?  Is Mom spending more time with that one?  Is Dad proud of me?   As the holidays approach, those little battles are recalled and occasionally replayed with more grown-up themes.

But not with God.  Don’t feel bad, I know He loves you too.  I just happen to be His favorite.  I know this because I’ve been studying the concept of grace.  “The word favor is the nearest Biblical synonym for the word grace. In this connection it may be observed that the one thought which is almost exclusively expressed in the New Testament by the word grace is, in the Old Testament, almost exclusively expressed by the word favor. Grace is favor, and favor is grace.” (*)

Dictionary.com defines favor as “something done or granted out of goodwill, rather than from justice or for remuneration; a kind act, friendly or well-disposed regard; goodwill; and the state of being approved or held in regard.

• For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. ~ Psalm 5:12
• For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. ~ Psalm 30:5
• But I pray to you, O LORD, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation. ! Psalm 69:13
• May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands. ~ Psalm 90:17

Grace is defined as “elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action; a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment; favor or good will; a manifestation of favor, esp. by a superior; mercy; clemency; pardon; and the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.” (emphasis mine).

• From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. ~ John 1:16
• The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more… ~ Romans 5:20
• For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. ~Romans 6:14
• But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. ~ I Corinthians 15:10

So you see, I know I survive and thrive through God’s grace, so that must mean I have His favor, and I am his favor-ite!  Wait, you say He has done all that for you too?  Hmmm, I guess I can share my favored-child status with you.  I’m reminded of a story I read many years ago…

“Shortly after I was ordained, I took a graduate course at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh.  The professor was an old Dutchman who told the following story: “I’m one of thirteen children.  One day when I was playing in the street of our hometown in Holland, I got thirsty and came into the pantry of our house for a glass of water.  It was around noon and my father had just come home from work to have lunch.  He was sitting at the kitchen table, having a glass of beer with a neighbor.  A door separated the kitchen from the pantry and my father didn’t know I was there.  The neighbor said to my father, ‘Joe, there’s something I’ve wanted to ask you for a long time, but if it’s too personal, just forget I ever asked.’  ‘What is your question?’

” ‘Well, you have thirteen children.  Out of all of them is there one that is your favorite, one you love more than all the others?’ “

The priest continued his story: “I had my ear pressed against the door hoping against hope it would be me. ‘That’s easy,’ my father said.  ‘Sure there’s one I love more than all the others.  That’s Mary, the twelve-year-old.  She just got braces on her teeth and feels so awkward and embarrassed that she won’t go out of the house anymore.  Oh, but you asked about my favorite.  That’s my twenty-three-year-old Peter.  His fiancee just broke their engagement, and he is desolate.  But the one I really love the  most is little Michael.  He’s totally uncoordinated and terrible in any sport he tries to play.  The other kids on the street make fun of him.  But, of course, the apple of my eye is Susan.  Only twenty-four, living in her own apartment, and developing a drinking problem.  I cry for Susan.  But I guess of all the kids…’ and my father went on mentioning each of his thirteen children by name.”

The professor ended his story saying: “What I learned was that the one my father loved most was the one who needed him most at that time.  And that’s the way the Father of Jesus is:  He loves those most who need Him most, who rely on Him, depend on Him, and trust Him in everything.” (**)

(*) Lewis Sperry Chafer, Grace (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, n.d.) 4.

(**) Brennen Manning, Lion and Lamb (Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Co.) 22-23.