Favoritism Hurts

 When (Joseph’s) brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him… 

Genesis 37:4

 

Betrayal often begins through no fault of our own. We may think things are fine, but a storm is brewing in the heart of someone else. Joseph, young and inexperienced, had no idea how his father’s favoritism affected his older brothers. Jealousy united them until little bro was the most hated member of the family. When jealousy takes over, it’s easy to justify evil. “They deserve it,” we fume. “Who do they think they are?” Jealousy decides it’s our duty to cut the favorite down to size. That attitude can snowball, as it did with Joseph’s brothers, and lead to darker places than we ever intended to go, including betrayal.

 When Judy’s well-deserved promotion was given to Terry, she began to hate her coworker. Terry had done nothing wrong, but Judy justified her hateful attitude and doctored the books to get Judy fired. Sally grew up knowing she was not the favorite. She wore hand-me-downs while her older siblings dressed in designer fashions. She internalized the message that she was inferior and spent years in prison and rehabs, letting their wrongs ruin what could have been a successful life. Joseph’s story is a grim reminder that favoritism is a breeding ground for betrayal. Even when we feel overlooked or underappreciated, it helps to remember that God sees. He knows. The favoritism of others does not have to destroy all the good God intends for our lives.

Challenge: If you’ve been the victim of favoritism, remember that God doesn’t see you that way. You’re valuable to Him.

.