Favoritism Exposed | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Favoritism Exposed | Previous Challenge Entry
By Carol Adams
03/07/05
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Favoritism is universal. In fact, we all in some way have been exposed to favoritism in some form. There have been times when we favored someone else over another, and there have been
occasions when someone favored someone over us. Favoritism hurts.

Usually, our basis of favoritism is based upon performance in some way. We all do to some degree naturally long to be the “favored one”, because we see the benefits that another receives. Favoritism stirs up a deep need within us, the need for acceptance. We all wish that we were more highly thought of than someone else or to gain notoriety in some achieved area. Then the privilege would be ours to sit on the throne of favoritism!

We all struggle with favoritism in our “growing up years.” We learn early about the demonstrations of favoritism. We see it in our school years. The teachers have favorite pupils because they are the most obedient or the happiest, and we have favorite friends and favorite sides
when playing games. In order to be accepted, we need to have the latest toys or the designer jeans and clothes to be favored among our friends. As we grow older into our teens and adulthood, the games become larger and more painful. Favoritism is such an insidious snare.

We see favoritism exposed in the Bible. Two twin brothers, Jacob and Esau, used favoritism to their advantage. However, in their case, their parents each favored one of them and it was costly to the whole family. When we count their losses on the glory trail of favoritism, we see that hatred and bitterness separated the two brothers because of the deceitful means used to expose
favoritism. Both boys betrayed and used the other for gain. Favoritism destroyed this family.

Joseph was far more favored than his brothers were. He was given more, treated more kindly, and was
arrayed in fine clothes. Hatred grew in the brothers’ hearts which led to abandonment and rejection of Joseph.

In light of these examples, we see the devastation that favoritism can bring. We all are touched in some way by favoritism. No on escapes.

I want to direct your attention to favor in a positive way. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, loves us and died for us. He desires for each one, past, present and future, to believe in Him. He states there is none righteous, no not one, but when we were the most powerless, Christ died for us. It was God’s favor to send His only begotten Son to pay the penalty of sin against us. What favor! What love! His favor extends to all now and for eternity.

Mary was favored among all women to be the mother of Jesus. She was pure and undefiled, and her heart was right and innocent. Favor demonstrated in a pure and holy way.

We have examples from God’s Word about the different types of favoritism, but what about us? Are we like the Scripture verse in James 2:2-4 that gives the example of the rich man wearing a gold ring and fine
clothes and the poor man in shabby clothes. Who is favored above the other? We all are deceived by flair. We all have discriminated to some degree, but we should be glad that Christ did not discriminate against us but allowed us His favor to be His children.

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