Does Our Father in Heaven Play Favorites? - part two

Does “our Father in heaven” play favorites?

I don’t know if this is a question that “favored children” ask. I do know that it is a question I have asked regularly. It sits right next to the question, “Do you love her/him more than you love me?”

I used to feel like a favored child. And when I did I sat in the judgment seat of the Pharisees. I was convinced that when something bad happened in someone’s life it was because of that person’s foolishness or sin. If a husband left his wife, or vice versa, it was because she or he was not living according to the pattern given in Ephesians 5. If a child was wayward, it was because the parent was too lenient – or too legalistic. If a person was homeless, it was because they were financially irresponsible. You name the situation; I had a reason for it. 

I would never say those things out loud. On the outside I would be sympathetic and compassionate. And I always was ready with a Bible verse or piece of advice. Then God, in His mercy, allowed me to wander through some very dark valleys. Valleys not of my own making – at least not all of them. He also allowed me the privilege of sitting on the other side of the judgment seat. I rarely heard the judgment, but I knew it was there. 

And so, then came the questions.  

I imagine Joseph must have asked those questions as he sat in prison. Moses must have asked those questions as he wandered through the desert. David must have asked those questions as he hid from Saul. Elijah must have asked those questions as he ran from Jezebel.  

I know that these men were approved of by God. They were each commended for their faith and good works. But each of them spent a lot of time drowning in excrement.  

If you look at the word excrement in the thesaurus, you find a couple of interesting synonyms – compost and fertilizer - words familiar to any gardener. Any gardener can tell you that not all plants need the same type of fertilizer. Some need alkaline, some acidic and some neutral to have the optimum effect.  

So I think it is with people. Different “crappy” situations produce different amounts of growth in different types of people.  

Our Father in heaven is a master gardener. He knows what weeds need to be pulled out and what branches need to be pruned. He knows that what I need in my life is not the same as what you need in your life.  

Does the Father love His son, Jesus? Without a doubt. But when I look at Jesus’ life and death, it doesn’t look like the love of an all-powerful Father to me. Even Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 

Could God treat all of us the same? Could God prevent some of the hardships in my life? Yes, He could.  

Why doesn’t He? The ultimate answer for me is, because He loves me too much, even if it doesn’t look or feel like love to me. Regardless of how I feel, I am a favored child.

Wishing I didn’t need quite so much fertilizer as I walk this straight crooked path.