His Favorite People
／Evelyn O. Shih
When Jesus was born, the angel announced to the shepherds: "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people." And then there was a great company of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
Have you noticed that good news is for all the people, but peace is only for God's favorite ones? In other words, God loves the world, but He doesn't like everyone. Not all of us can get what God announced about Jesus: "This is my Son, whom I love; with whom I am well pleased."
To love someone is different from liking someone. We, as parents, all understand this. We love our children, yet we sometimes don't like what they are doing. We have to love them with tears and broken hearts sometimes. Some of our children, however, know to please us, then we love them with smiles and joyful hearts. We like to get closer to them because they make us happy. It is not playing favoritism, it is a natural thing that draw us to them, and claim them as our favorites.
Doesn't our Heavenly Father have the same relationship with us? We act like brats sometimes and often hurt His feelings. We think that God is love and He loves me anyway. He'll forgive me whatever I have done. We never think that we should please Him and make Him happy. A wise father will discipline such children, he will not give them peace in their hearts.
When I say we should please God, I am not asking you to act nicely in front of people or to pay more than your tithe to the church. God sees your heart and your mind. You are not able to cheat Him. He said plainly: "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams." He even said: "Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you, and I will accept no offering from your hands."
God's favorite people are those who keep themselves clean from sins. They are sensitive with bad thoughts and evil doings. Peace will be given to them from God since they have nothing to hide in front of God or men.
God's favorite people are those who totally depend on Him. They know they are weak. They can't do anything without God including the power of keeping themselves away from temptations. When a person thinks that he is strong enough to deal with his life, he has become a proud Pharisee who can't be kind to people nor can he respect God. On the contrary, when you know you have God to depend on, you'll have no worries. You have peace only and always.
Have a peaceful Christmas and be a favorite to God and to others.
