God plays no favorites!

This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

We are all declared a Child of God at our baptism. Siblings of Jesus! Children of God with whom God is well pleased.  

Ok, sure maybe not well pleased with some of our choices, but well pleased with us, images of God. Children of God, born of the Spirit not merely physically birthed. Chosen, not a surprise, not unwanted burdens, but actually chosen. In fact, God has been seeking you, wooing you since before you were born. 

Can you stop and just breathe in this truth? Say to yourself, 

I am a beloved Child of God with whom God is pleased.   

I am a beloved Child of God with whom God is pleased.  

I am a beloved Child of God with whom God is pleased. 

How does it feel? Incredible? Unbelievable? 

How about true? 

My guess is most of us mentally agree with this statement because that is what we have been taught, but deep inside we just don’t feel it. Okay, that is at least my reaction. Who, me? Does God know what I have done and thought and said? Oh wait, yes, God does.

Reading in Acts 10 from Peterson’s The Message: 

“Peter fairly exploded with his good news: “It’s God’s own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The Message he sent to the children of Israel—that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again—well, he’s doing it everywhere, among everyone.”

“It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says…”  Peter doesn’t tell us we better be successfully doing the will of God. Peter of all people knows how tough that can be. But if we are seeking God and wanting to obey God, God is pleased. And the door, the arms of God are opened to you.

Yes, you are a child of God with whom God is pleased. Not because you are good, not because you go to the right church, not because you have amazing talents, but because God simply loves you.

And God simply loves them too. Yes, “them.” There is a reason we are called the Family of God. There is a reason we are referred to as siblings. Because the other person is also the beloved child of God with whom God is pleased. 

Can we stop for a moment and contemplate that? They are also the beloved child of God with whom God is pleased. No matter who they are, no matter where they come from.

The one who irritates you, who doesn’t live up to your standards, who speaks too loudly or too softly, who you avoid at all cost, is a beloved child of God with whom God is pleased.

It is easy for us to stand back and point fingers at how it is “obvious” that that person certainly does not want to obey God, but…well you know the saying. There are three fingers pointing back at me.  Or as Jesus puts it: “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For the judgment you give will be the judgment you get, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.” (Matthew 7: 1) Or  in other words, there will be three fingers pointing back at you.

Have you ever heard of Dr. Brene Brown? She is a professor and author who has done research on all sorts of very human topics like shame, fear and love etc. By the way, her books are worth a read!  In her book Daring Greatly she writes: 

“All I know is that my life is better when I assume that people are doing their best. It keeps me out of judgment and lets me focus on what is, and not what should or could be.”

What is. That they too are a beloved child of God even as I am. 

Peter declares that “God plays no favorites!” You are God’s beloved child, and so is he, and so is she, and so is they. 

Rev. Brian McClaren says the church should be a school of love. We should not just be learning scripture and liturgy and doctrine, we should be learning what loving one another is all about, so we can do it better out there. 

 Have you ever stopped and listened to us? So much of what we say to and about each other sounds less like love and more like….well like something else. 

Now, I don’t know for sure if this is true, but I am convinced that loving the image of God in the other person is nearly impossible until we learn to love the image of God within ourselves. And learning to love the image of God in ourselves often evolves from seeing others love the image of God in us. Can you see the cycle?

Now I confess this cycle appears shaky at best. But it only takes one person to change a cycle. You could be that one person to start a cycle of love. Love the other, accept the other, believe that the other is doing the best that they can and see the image of God emerge before your eyes. Both here and there.

AND…..go home, look into the mirror and love the one before you, accept that person, believe that person is doing the best they can, and see the image of God emerge before your eyes!

I love the way Peterson translates this:  “Peter fairly exploded with his good news: “It’s God’s own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open.”

Now, I have something I would really like for us to try. You may not want to do this, it may feel silly and uncomfortable, but would you be willing to try something just to see what happens? Please? I promise, it won’t hurt.

When we come up for communion, I often invite you to remember your baptism by dipping your fingers in the water and placing the mark of the cross on your forehead. 

Today I ask you to dip your fingers in the water and turn to the person behind you, marking them with the cross of Christ and simply saying “You are a beloved child of God.”

I know it may feel awkward, but in honor of Jesus’ baptism, let’s remind one another of ours.