Lies Christians Believe #2


God loves some people more than others, right? It’s obvious – some have soft, cushy lives and others’ lives are more like a series of unfortunate events. It stands to reason God loves me more than he loves Hitler, or God loves Mother Theresa more than he loves me. By and large, we perceive love is something earned. There is a scale of good deeds and the more good deeds you do, the greater God will love you.

Many agree and will admit God loves some people more than others but there are still many (if not most) Christians who believe it but have enough sense not to admit it but it’s hard not to compare our blessings with another person’s and if they are better, deduce God loves them more. It’s a terrible way to live because the only way to increase the amount of love shown you is to perform better.

It’s a lie Christians believe, the truth is God loves, period. Not more, not less. He loves you, he loves me, he loves Osama Bin Laden, and he loves the bully who beat up your kid on the playground today. The truth is we’ve confused love and favour. God loves the same, but not everyone shares the same favour.

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate dictionary defines favour as friendly regard shown to another especially by a superior.

Think about who you show favour to. I have favour to restaurant servers who are kind to my Boy and treat him with respect. I honour everyone, but have more favour for some, more than others. I favour friends who keep my secrets, are loyal and who like my company. In short, I show favour to others who have value for me and for what is important to me. Favour is expressed in reward: a bigger tip to a server who gives fantastic service, time (a most precious commodity) with a friend – sometimes it’s monetary, and other times it’s less tangible but you’ll know you’ve received favour.

The Bible says Noah had favour, Moses had favour and countless others found God’s favour. I want God’s favour too and the great news is favour is not exclusive - anyone can get it. Psalm 84: 11 says, “the Lord bestows favour and honour; no good thing does he withhold whose walk is blameless,” (another version says “who walk uprightly). Proverbs 3:34 says God gives favour to the humble, and favour is worth more than silver or gold (Proverbs 22:1).

When Jesus was talking to his disciple as recorded in John 15, he calls them friends – he upgrades their status because they received favour. The disciples understood the heart of Jesus by being in a relationship with him and he rewarded them with favour.

Love is already given to all but favour is bestowed on the one who keeps the heart focus of God to be their focus and walk humbly and uprightly, keeping loyalty to Jesus, who is their friend.

If you’ve confused love and favour before, change your thinking; cast out the lie that God loves some people more. It’s simply not true, receive the fullness of his love for you by faith and then seek his face because that is where you’ll find favour.

Comments

  1. I appreciate the distinction you're making, and have certainly been guilty myself of looking at "blessing" in the lives of other Christians and wondering "where's mine?" ... but doesn't the idea of favor put us right back where we were - trying to earn God's recognition and approval? Is that a legitimate goal of the Christian?

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