Joseph was the son of the favored wife born in Jacob’s latter years and so he was favored. His presence made his father’s eyes light up every time he walked in a room. He was given the choicest food and opportunities and even an ornate robe.

But Joseph was immature and a tattler. He had a dream of God’s plans for him and told his siblings. This did not endear his already jealous brothers. So a plot was formed to get rid of him.

I have struggled with Joseph being Jacob’s favorite. Parenting 101: No favorite child. But this morning as I was reading this story, it hit me:

Joseph is a representation of each of us. As Christians, we are each individually, God’s favorite. Yes you, with your checkered past, your mistakes, your selfish attitude, YOU are God’s favorite child. His face lights up each time you walk into the room. He gives you the choicest of gifts and He has given you an ornate robe, a robe of righteousness.

And yes, like Joseph, others (even Christians who have not recognized they too are a favorite) will be jealous of you and try to hurt you. But in the end, Joseph used his preferred status to deliver a whole nation and his brothers who tried to hurt him.

Let us not use our position as ‘favorite child’ to simply hoard goods for ourselves. Let us use our preferred status to build community, extend grace, encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ so that they too can walk in their position as favored. You are favored so feed the poor, heal the sick, preach the gospel, love recklessly, give generously. Use your favorite status to build bridges and tear down walls, to go into the dark and snatch people from the clutches of hell.

Walk boldly and unapologetically as a favorite child. Then go and change your world.

“Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him.” Genesis‬ ‭37:3‬ ‭NIV‬‬