One of my students walked into class this morning wearing a tee-shirt that said, “Jesus Loves Everyone but I’m His favorite.” There it was. This is the heresy of almost every religion. If you are not a Jehovah Witness, they cannot pray with you. If you are not a Mormon your baptism by anyone other than a Mormon is disqualified and you are lost. If you are not a Catholic you cannot be buried in the same cemetery with other Catholics. If you are not Islamic you are an infidel. I can go on and on. This is the cancer that eats away at the Gospel of Jesus and most other religions as it feeds the egotism of the soul. You are okay but I am better.
Now of course my student was joking. But the truth about humor is things are not funny if there is not an inherent element of truth. Everyone so wants to be special and what could be more special than being God’s favorite? Before we enter heaven Paul tells us in I Corinthians 15 that this corruption will put on incorruption and thus we will have some different ideas about things. But, I wonder how I would manage eternity if I were God’s favorite. I might never mention it nor deliberately rub your nose in it but there would be an unacceptable ting of arrogance in my mannerisms.
In Acts Peter said, “God is no respecter of persons.” Everyone who lets Him into their heart becomes the apple of His eye. Does that mean we are His favorites? The answer is yes. And all those who have not accepted Him are candidates to join our favorites club. God is equalitarian to the extreme.
Written by Roger Bothwell on September 18, 2014
Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org