Everybody needs favor. How good are you at giving it and receiving it?
You know how good it feels for someone to do you a “favor.”
Someone gave me a surprise gift certificate to “Top Golf” recently. I could take five of my older grandsons and their fathers for two free hours of all the golf balls they could hit and food they could stuff in!
A “favor” is unexpected, undeserved, and maybe not even imagined.
God is a God of “favor.” He delights in being compassionate, generous, merciful, and gracious.
Here are some ways you can move into the “favor zone” with God and with man:
1. Everywhere you go, do people “favors.”
Give them the parking spot you both are eyeballing.
Pull out a shopping cart and give it to someone else.
Let someone with a few items go ahead of you in the checkout line.
Pay for someone else’s meal.
“Favors” become a lifestyle, and you start living to surprise people with perks, freebies, and shortcuts.
2. Ask God to let you see with His eyes.
A self-consumed life never sees a need, and it is oblivious to a mother trying to get her five children through a heavy door.
It doesn’t notice someone unable to reach a high grocery item or get their carry-on in the overhead bin.
God sees a need. His “favor” comes from His sensitivity and compassion. He sees everything.
Ask Him to change your perspective from “me” to “others.” You will be amazed at the “favors” He shows you to give.
3. Ask God to give you favor with man.
You already have favor with God when you accept Christ. It is automatic.
Why not with a man? “Jesus grew…in favor with God AND man” (Luke 2: 52).
Ask Him for favor with the loan you applied for, a blessing with the I.R.S., a favor with your boss, your HOA, or anyone and everyone who can make a life-changing decision that concerns you.
“Thank you, Lord, I have favor today with _______ .”
4. Ask God to favor you with resources for others.
“Favor” and “grace” are interchangeable words in Greek.
Paul told the Corinthians that God would supply them grace (favor) to be able to meet the needs of others (2 Cor. 9: 8-11).
Why not ask God for more resources to favor others?
You can't show them favors if you don’t have resources. It’s not selfish to ask for more blessings to be more generous with others.
3. Praise God for every favor.
God does us favors daily.
Little, small favors like finding your lost wallet or car keys.
Or an appointment, a reservation that opens up when one is not available.
Or noticing a perk or a discount you never noticed before and saving yourself a good bit of money.
The list goes on. God’s Holy Spirit is endlessly showing us “favor.”
Let’s be like God and search for ways to show others favor. And, let’s be sure to give God verbal praise with every small thing He does on our behalf… “a favor!”