Melanie asked me who my favorite vampire was. I said, “The one on Sesame Street.” She said, “He doesn’t count.” I said, “Oh, I assure you, he does.” OK. Favoritism isn’t funny. Favoritism is fun, if you happen to be the favorite. Does God show favoritism? Who are God’s favorite people in the world today?
Peter, a Jew, was speaking to a group of Gentiles about Jesus. He had grown beyond his prejudice. If God loved the Gentiles, so would he. As he spoke to Cornelius and company, he proclaimed, “God accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.” On what basis? The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. God’s love includes all who trust in Jesus for salvation.
It cost God everything to love everyone into his family. That is why we who know the good news of peace through the Lord Jesus have no place for favoritism. We have been accepted and included by grace. James later wrote, “Believers in our Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism” (James 2:1). The example he used was wealth. He went on, “But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers” (James 2:9).
Jesus said, “For God so loved the world . . .” (John 3:16). Paul agreed: “God gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was in reconciling the world to himself in Christ” (2 Cor 5:18-19). My favorite country is the United States. It is good to love our own countries well. But God is looking for people in every nation who will believe in him, and be transformed by him. In heaven we will find people from every nation, tribe, people and language (Revelation 7:9). Because God’s love is big enough to include the whole world. Is ours?
