Patti Burris

Acts 10:34-35

³⁴ Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism ³⁵ but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.

Romans 2:11

For God does not show favoritism.

Galatians 2:5-6

⁵ We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. ⁶ As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to my message.

As a single mom of five kids, I have been accused of showing favorites. Do I have a favorite? I can honestly say that I do not. I know it may seem at times that I favor this daughter or that son over the others, but I love all of my children the same and care deeply about the safety and welfare of all five of them. They are five separate people with five completely different personalities. I have a different relationship with each of them based on how our personalities mesh. Not only do they each have different personalities, they are each in different places in their lives. At times one may struggle more than the others and need more attention in that season of their lives. They are all growing in their own lives and my relationship with each one is different than what it once was. I have struggled at times in my relationship with each one, but I will never stop loving them. I will never stop caring about what each one goes through. I will never stop believing that they are the most precious people in this world.

I am reminded of the Parable of the Lost Sheep in Matthew 18:12-14:

¹² “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? ¹³ And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! ¹⁴ In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish. 

The shepherd leaves the others to go after the one. He doesn’t care what the one looks like or if the one was disobedient and ran off, He goes after the one regardless. No favorites. Not one cared about more or less than the others. All are equal in the shepherd’s eyes. God feels the same way about us. He loves us all the same. No favorites. He will leave the ninety-nine to go after the one. It doesn’t matter the socio-economic status, education, gender- identity, race, religion (you get the point) of the one. He will ALWAYS leave the others to go after the one.

God loves you! You will never do anything so wrong that God won’t pursue you. It doesn’t matter if you live in a penthouse or on the streets of skid row. It doesn’t matter if you are an addict or go to church three times a week and volunteer for every church activity. There is NOTHING that can separate you from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39). He loves you just as much as He loves all the rest of the sheep in His flock.

I challenge you to really take the time to reflect on God’s love for you. Use the internet to look up verses that tell us how much God loves us. Journal your thoughts and the verses that you find. I want you to open your heart to allow the love of God to fill you to overflowing. I want you to know in your inner most being that God has NO FAVORITES! I am always here to listen, pray for you and encourage you in this journey. YOU ARE LOVED!!!