People who LIKE movies have a favorite. People who LOVE movies couldn’t possibly choose. —Nicole Yatsonsky
My kids used to come up and ask me, “Dad, who’s your favorite?” I would answer the same way every time: “You’re all my favorite.” They would walk away disappointed. I said all, but it kind of sounded like none. Now, if we don’t know the truth, we might feel the same when God says,
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God… (Galatians 3:26)
Then one day, our youngest son asked my wife, “Mommy, who’s your favorite kid?” She grabbed him by the shoulders, looked him in the eyes, and said, “You are my favorite child.”
He had this huge smile on his face. “Really? Yes!” He was so happy.
My daughter had overheard the conversation. A little while later, she asked, “Mom, who is your favorite child?”
Once again, my wife grabbed my daughter by the shoulders, looked her in the eyes, and said, “You are my favorite child.”
Our third child overheard that conversation and, as you can imagine, he came in and asked the same question. My wife responded in the same way, “You are my favorite.”
We said the same thing, didn’t we? “You’re all my favorite.” But it felt different when she said it. It felt personal as they each—individually—realized they were her favorite.
I’m going to make a wild statement here: You are God’s favorite. Stop and feel this. God’s capacity to love is infinitely more extravagant than any earthly parent, and He’s grabbing you by the shoulders and looking you in the eyes right now, saying, “You, you are my favorite!”
Lord, if I’m honest, I can’t completely imagine actually being Your favorite. It blows my mind. I pray Your Holy Spirit will help me understand just how much You love me. Amen.