Is That Fair?

At the end of every seventh year you must cancel the debts of everyone who owes you money. This is how it must be done. Everyone must cancel the loans they have made to their fellow Israelites. They must not demand payment from their neighbors or relatives, for the LORD’s time of release has arrived. This release from debt, however, applies only to your fellow Israelites—not to the foreigners living among you. [Deuteronomy 15.1-3]

Is that fair?

God's favor is special. However, God's favor is not on all. God's favor is reserved for those whom He chooses.

In this current time in history when equality is touted from every platform, The Bible and God stand in contrast. Imagine that.

Until we come to grips with the fact that God is not about equality, we will never comprehend the significance of His favor.

The thing to pay close attention to is the fact that favor, in God's eyes, has nothing to do with race, gender, religious or even sexual preferences (terms we are all familiar with), but rather has everything to do with obedience. It started with Abraham and his obedience of faith. 

The obedience of faith sets people apart in God's eyes. There is, and always will be, noticeable favor upon those who are obedient to God. The greatest example of this is the fact that not all will go to heaven (regardless of popular belief, the Bible simply does not teach otherwise). The scripture noted above further confirms the favor upon faithful Abraham's descendants. Others - "foreigners" (not descendants of faithful Abraham) - not so much.

Israel's favor with God started with Abraham's faith. There remains favor upon all who, like the "father of faith", believe - trust in - God. Those in God's favor will experience blessings that those not in God's favor will not. Romans 4, Galatians 3, Hebrews 11, and James 2.23 all clearly support this.

It is not about fairness, it's about favor. And favor is about faith.

It may seem a harsh reality (this favor reserved for faith), but the 'bite of harshness' is taken away in this:

Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. [Romans 12.3]

This scripture may be more readily recognized and understood in the King James Version:

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. [Romans 12.3 KJV]

So, you see, once again, God's measurement of folks has nothing to do with race, gender, religion or sexual preference. Bear with me... The obedience of faith and subsequent favor may, in fact, be found in one race or another (ie. Israel). The obedience of faith and subsequent favor may, in fact, be found in one gender or another (ie. praying mothers). The obedience of faith and subsequent favor may, in fact, be found in one religion or another (ie. Israel, USA). The obedience of faith and subsequent favor may, in fact, be found in one sexual preference or another (needs no explanation). The proof is in God's favor.

So we must each ask ourselves, "Would I prefer to live in equality or God's favor?"

Father, I want to live in Your favor. I know You have given me the same measure of faith that everyone has. Help me to please You with it!