Does God have Favorites?
Luke 3:22, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”
I have heard people ask this question and I am sure that we all wondered this at times when we see those who are truly blest by God. But does God really have favorites? In his book The Shack, Young mentions in a couple of places that God says He is really fond of someone. Near the end of the book Mack is talking to his friend Willie and tells him what God told him to say to Willie. ‘Tell Willie that I am especially fond of him.’ I am repeating this here because this is so true. God is especially fond of all of us. The difference we often see in believing that God has favorites is how we respond to the love of God. James tells us in chapter four verse eight, ‘Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.’
When the church, which is people not a building or institution, first started, as recorded in the Book of Acts, the ‘movement’ was called ‘the Way’. Possibly because Jesus said He was the Way, but also the people being set free recognized that this was the real ‘way’ to God. Jesus came, He suffered and died to open the way for us to come to God. This means that God has moved on our behalf to make it possible, with no obstructions, to come to Him and be free. Now God tells us to draw near and He will draw near to us. All people, and especially, believers should do this. When we draw near to God it can be like a moth to the flame and we can get ‘burned’ by the fire of the pureness of God. Some welcome this refining fire, others shrink back. Those who draw near to the purifying fire of God are blessed. The darkness in us is caused to flee and desire to be close to God is increased. Here is where the true favor and blessing of God comes to the person who has shed all the distractions and sins of this life. Yes God’s favor and blessing are found on some in a greater degree than others but it is not because God has chosen them as His favorite, it is because they have chose God as their favorite.
Young, Wm. 2007, The Shack, Windblown Media, LA.