Value is something we look for in life, don’t we? We look for value in our career, family, friends and social group. How we normally get value is by getting favour from people, being preferred and liked. So, we tend to go the extra mile to fit a certain ‘like me’ mould to get the advantage we want with others.
I remember a time in my late teens when I would always be the one who would be the first to do something quite dangerous or insensitively impressive before my other friends would, to prove that I should be liked, preferred . . . favoured by them. I didn’t want to be excluded from this group so I would ‘prove’ my worth in exchange for their favour.
What a vast differing contrast from how God views you.
How does He view us?
Luke 1:28 says “The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured!
The Lord is with you.”
Look how incredible that is from the angel Gabriel. Before Mary has even lifted a finger, she has received a high favour from God in heaven. Imagine that.
Before you’ve even got out of bed, you see a document on your bed stating you now own your home with no further payments. Why? How? Because you are highly favoured by the mortgage company.
Like our salvation in Jesus or miracles, we do little to nothing in exchange for them, God in his limitless love gives freely to us.
Mary did nothing to receive the favour, it was a gift to her.
But most of the time, we find that ‘self’ becomes the greatest enemy to progress in this favour.
Luke 1:30 says “But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary;
you have found favour with God.”
We can become afraid, thinking ‘why would God favour me so much?’ Or along the lines of ‘what have I done to receive such favour?’ God in his love reminds Mary again that she is favoured by God. She was afraid of the greeting, but we must be reminded; in humility, we who are in Jesus, are ‘HIGHLY FAVOURED’ by God.
That’s the greeting God gives you each time you come to him in prayer or approach his throne. Highly Favoured.
This Christmas share that favour with others, share the wonders of the Gospel and the high favour there is from God for all who put their trust and life in Jesus’ hands.
Your value is not from your social group and how they view you; it is from your heavenly status . . . Highly Favoured by God.
Pray that God will rewire your thinking to that of a Highly favoured child, as that is how He sees you.
Do not be afraid to walk in the favour and share it with others.
Charles Celestin is a member of Hope Church – he likes creativity, rap music and spending time with his family.
