Favored

The word favored came to me during a conversation I had with a close friend.  She spoke that specific word as she shared her story, and I quickly scribbled it on a piece of paper beside me, because I felt it was of significant importance.  How much of a priority is it in our life that we feel favored?  If you have siblings (I was the youngest of three), how much do we strive to be the favored one?  That’s why we tattled on our brother or sister, right?   In school we wanted to be the teacher’s favorite and maybe felt a little jealous when we saw another classmate easily walk into that role.  Maybe we desperately wanted to be picked for the school play, or dreaded being last when teams were chosen.  Let’s face it, it was more than important at the time to be the most popular girl or boy that everyone admired and wanted to be with.  But you and I know, in reality, that many times we are not picked as the favorite, even in our adult life, no matter how hard we try.   Do we feel less because of not being the popular one?  Do we worry too much, thinking we did something wrong, change to conform, or maybe we should have tried harder?  No matter the reason, I think striving to be favored is only a pathway meant to ultimately teach us about our purpose.  It’s not about being favored from an earthly sense but realizing being favored by God is what is most important and rewarding.  Maybe even realizing the ways we are favored by God will help us recognize the many gifts with which he has entrusted us.   A friend of mind would call this a “teachable moment” when we don’t obtain earthly favor, it can humble us.  Our goal is not to be the most popular, the most glamorous, or the best in everything we do.  It’s learning to strive to be more pleasing to Him – to stay in His favor.  I re-read these words again, “Stay in His favor”, and pray to see more clearly how Jesus desires me to be in His favor compared to those around me.  I pray that I recognize the true meaning of this word.   What will I do with my “favored” status this week? What will you choose to do with yours?  God does not put you and me on a pedestal for all to see and be honored.  He is the true King, He sits on the throne!  And I, for one, feel special to be favored just to be in his presence.

“A good name is to be more desired than great wealth; Favor is better than silver and gold.”  Proverbs 22:1