All the Father's Favorites by Pete BriscoeSample

We Can Choose

No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite. — Nelson Mandela

I had a friend in college who grew up in a small Southern town. The elders at his church—every single one—were members of the Klu Klux Klan. The two largest deacons had a very simple job. They were the church bouncers. If a black man tried to get in, they’d turn him away.

Can’t you hear the Spirit whispering in the background of that church, “But that man… he is My favorite. Let My favorite one in!”

There can be no favoritism in the body of Christ—and yet there is. Race, economic status, and gender have all been areas of favoritism in the church for years. The good news is that we have a choice. We can choose to see only favorites. We can choose to reject favoritism.

People often ask me to pray for them. I do; it’s a privilege. But I’m quick to correct the idea that I have some sort of lever to pull with the Lord. Of course, I know that I’m His favorite, but I also know that you’re His favorite, too. We’re all His favorites, because there’s no favoritism in the family of God.

Favoritism says—for inappropriate reasons—that some are treated better than others, some receive superior opportunities than others, and some get more blessing than others. Paul destroyed that lie when he wrote to the Galatians, and by the power of Christ’s Spirit you can start to live that same truth, too!

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

Father, we are all Your favorites. Let sibling rivalry and competition be gone in Your family. Let there be hospitality and selflessness and high esteem of each other. Let me, imperfect as I am, love every neighbor with Your perfect love. Yes, teach me the language of Your love. Amen.