When you think about favor, what comes to your mind? Do you think of that front row parking spot, the unexpected sale, the free coffee at your favorite coffee shop? Do you think of the big house, fancy car, money in the bank and perfect health? No problems, no suffering and all of your kids and family members saved, happy whole and doing great. Is that what you think of?
Modern Christianity has preached such an antithetical definition of favor that has left many feeling unseen, unloved and unfavored by God because of it. The truth of the matter is, if you look at the lives of of those in the Bible who were used by God in mighty ways, you would see that their lives don’t look anything like the “favored life” that is being preached about today. Actually, it is quite the opposite.
Let’s take a look at some examples going back to the Old Testament.
Let’s start with Moses.
Moses didn’t start out in Pharoah’s palace. Moses started out as a Hebrew baby who was among those set to be killed. Only because of the intentionality of his mother putting him in the basket, did he wind up floating past Pharoah’s palace. After discovering his Hebrew heritage, he chose to live like one of them and, to make a long story short, wound up roaming around the desert for 40 years, dealing with the drama of the people and never made it into the promise land. No front row parking spot for Moses!
Next in line is Joseph!!
Joseph was beat up by his brothers, throne into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused rape, put into prison and forgotten by those he helped.
Shaddrach, Meshach and Abednigo….long story short, the king tried to burn them alive in a fire SO HOT, it immediately killed those who threw them in it!
Daniel:
This was no Lion King!!!! He got set up by those who were jealous of his influence with the king, and the king, bound by his own decree, had to throw Daniel in the lions den..for PRAYING!
Job lost his children, his possessions, and was struck with boils all over his body. His friends mocked him and his own wife said “just curse God and die”.
Stephen was stoned to death
John the Baptist was beheaded
Mary, the very mother of Jesus. The Angel of the Lord even said to her
“Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women! – Luke 1:26-28 ,
and she gave birth IN A BARN!
And the 12, handpicked disciples???
Let’s take a look at their “favored” life..
These are historical, in reference. Some passed down by Christian traditions and are consistent with how they would have been treated in their time. ·
Andrew: (brother of Peter) Martyrdom by crucifixion (bound, not nailed, to an "X-shaped" cross) Hung alive for two days, exhorting spectators all the while. ·
Bartholomew (Nathaniel): Martyrdom by being skinned alive and crucified, head downward
James the Greater (son of Zebedee / brother of John) : Beheaded or stabbed with a sword by Herod . His accuser was converted by James' courage & the two were beheaded together.
· James the Lesser [son of Alphaeus]: Martyred in his early 90's by being thrown from a pinnacle of the Temple at Jerusalem , then stoned and head bashed in with club.
· John (The Beloved) (son of Zebedee / brother of James) : Banished by Roman Emperor Domitian to Isle of Patmos where penned Revelation, the last book in the Bible.
Jude (Thaddeus) : Wrote Book of Jude. Martyred by being beaten with a club then crucified
Matthew (Levi) : Martyred by being staked and speared to the ground. Killed for questioning the morals of the king.
· Simon Peter (The Rock /Petra): Martyrdom by crucifixion at Rome by Nero. Crucified up-side-down at his request because he did consider himself worthy to be crucified like Jesus.
· Philip: Said to have been tortured, impaled by iron hooks in his ankles and hung upside down to die.
· Simon [The Canaanite] : ·Called "The Zealot" because he was associated with that sect. Martyred by crucifixion and then sawn in half.
· Thomas [Didymus] : Martyred thrust through by spear in India .
. · Mark (John Mark): Martyred - dragged to death.
· Luke: The Physician. Wrote Luke anWas hanged on an olive tree, ·
Matthias [Disciple who filled the place of Judas Acts 1:20-26 ] : Was stoned and beheaded at Jerusalem. ·
Apostle Paul (Saul): Not only was he repeatedly beaten, flogged and imprisoned after his conversion, he was, then, beheaded by Emperor Nero at Rome.
· James (The half-brother of Jesus): Thrown some 100 feet off a wall - done to him after he repeatedly refused to deny his faith in Jesus. He survived the fall and was beat him to death with clubs.
JESUS!!!
You would think the Son of God, The Word made flesh would have the most luxuriously favored life of them all!
Born in a manger
mocked by His own people
Conspired against by religious leaders
Betrayed by one of His own friends
beaten, whipped to the point his flesh was hanging off His body
Crucified between 2 thieves
layed in a borrowed tomb!
So, before you compare your life to others who seem like they are “favored”, check your Word! Jesus, Himself, said
“IN THIS WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS!” John 16:33
Your circumstances do not prove God’s favor in your life. His presence, power and peace in the midst of them does.
The people we read about, they were no less favored by God because of what they went through. They were able to walk through what they did, endure to the end and leave a legacy that we, to this day are reading about, because of His favor on their life.
The Word declares that we are blessed and highly favored, above and not beneath, the head and not the tail and joint heirs with Jesus. Our life experiences do not change that TRUTH.
Paul said, in Phillippians 4:12-13
12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
He shows us in this verse, that situations and circumstances change. We never know from day to day, week to week, month to month or year to year, what our life will look like. But, Paul reminds us it is Christ who strengthens and sustains us. THAT, my friend, is the favored life.
Our favor is HIM!