Does God play favorites? Favoritism is a subjective word. In whose point of view does it refer to? It usually refers to the heart of the person who is showing love, like if a parent actually loves one child more than the other-- not when the child perceives the parent to love one over another; it's about the parent's heart, not the child's perception of the parent's heart. Like sometimes my brother thinks my parents are playing favorites because I get to have a laptop and he isn't allowed one. It's just that I'm older and in college, while he is in elementary school. Therefore, he doesn't get a laptop. This is not favoritism. Even if my brother perceives it to be favoritism, it's not. Our perception is often wrong. So, perhaps Cain perceived "favoritism", but it wasn't favoritism. God loved Cain too, but just wasn't pleased with his heart. "For God does not show favoritism" (romans 2:11)
Peter said in Acts 10:34-5 "Now I see how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right"
Just because God chooses some people to do "great" things, doesn't mean He loves the others less. Like Jacob and Esau, Moses and Aaron. It is important to remember that difference. God sent Jesus to die for EVERYONE, not just His disciples, but also for the pharisees whom He loved but was not pleased with. God does choose one person over another for certain roles, but that doesn't mean He loves you less if you weren't chosen for something. Esau wasn't chosen to be the recipient of the birthright. Joseph's brothers weren't chosen to be ruler; Aaron wasn't chosen to be the leader as Moses was. We each have our own roles; we are part of the body. The eyes, the toes, the arm--they're all needed and part of one body.
Just because God chooses some people to do "great" things, doesn't mean He loves the others less. Like Jacob and Esau, Moses and Aaron. It is important to remember that difference. God sent Jesus to die for EVERYONE, not just His disciples, but also for the pharisees whom He loved but was not pleased with. God does choose one person over another for certain roles, but that doesn't mean He loves you less if you weren't chosen for something. Esau wasn't chosen to be the recipient of the birthright. Joseph's brothers weren't chosen to be ruler; Aaron wasn't chosen to be the leader as Moses was. We each have our own roles; we are part of the body. The eyes, the toes, the arm--they're all needed and part of one body.
Even the roles we play in other people's lives are different. We aren't always the star player--the one who your drowning friend in the river shouts for, the one who your troubled friend asks for for advice. If a friend chooses another over you for a particular role in their life, that doesn't (necessarily) mean they love you any less. And we must not compare our roles in the Kingdom. Jesus said to Peter: "If I want [John] to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?" (He said this because Peter was like "what about [John]?" and comparing roles). We're not always the ones to go; sometimes we are the ones who stay back and make sure the home is taken care of. We're not always the ones on stage preaching or leading worship--not even the ones leading the youth; sometimes, we're the ones in the nursery room feeding the toddlers. We're not always the shoulder that gets cried on, the friend who everyone wants to share with; sometimes we watch from the corner and pray. We may not be the most influential, or the person loved by everyone, but God sees our heart, and we all play different roles, and we must not compare. And the point is to focus on God rather than focus on trying to get a prominent role in the Kingdom, or in other people's lives. And when we focus on God and know His heart for compassion and unity, we won't be stumbled into having wrong perceptions of favoritism, and we won't be hurt or sad when we don't get the role we want to play, when it seems like we're not "wanted" or valuable in our community. We please God and are valued by God. Our significance is not determined by activity or value in the community/social network.
But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well
~Matthew 6:33
I really like this post, and feel that it resonates strongly with me. I've always felt that I've been competing with other people. And though, maybe some people would think that I'm only competitive with stuff like sports or school, the place I feel the most competitive is my life as a "Christian."
ReplyDeleteI kind of want to be the "best" Christian, and I felt this way especially last year. I wanted to be the mature brother that people went to, depended upon, shared with. And I felt pride if I thought someone thought of me that way. I felt pride when people said I was growing. And I felt an eagerness to beat other people if I felt like they were doing more "godly" things than I was.
It wasn't all like that. I'm sure that God was also changing a part of my heart, so that I would learn to seek Him because I love Him instead of being like a Pharisee, but I also realize that for a large part, that's what I was. I was seeking men's praise, seeking to feel good about myself as though I were someone, when really, I'm missing out on the whole point if my focus isn't knowing and loving God more and more.
I used to look to the verse:
1 Cor 9
24Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
As a way to justify my mindset, but I realize that I was setting my sights on everyone else, and not on the actual prize that I was running for.
Anyway, I really like this post. I would just like to say Amen! May we seek approval from God, and not approval from men.