Have you ever heard the saying “favor isn’t fair”?
Followers of Christ live with unmerited (and if we’re honest, sometimes undeserving) favor. And it’s not because we’re more intelligent or better than anyone else; it is simply because God is a good Father, and he takes care of those who love and trust him.
Our God-given favor often highlights the gifts God has given to us and places us in the presence of people who have the ability to change our lives. Proverbs 18:16 discusses this very truth: our gifts make room for us wherever we are meant to be. When we are placed before “kings” due to our abilities and the spirit of excellence we operate within, sometimes we are granted something more — the ear of the leader.
Joseph and His Gifts
In Genesis, we are introduced to Joseph, one of the twelve sons of Israel. Joseph had an extraordinary gift: the gift of prophetic dreams and dream interpretation.
If you know the story, you know Joseph’s brothers didn’t appreciate this gift. But in the end, the gift earned Joseph the attention, favor, and ear of Pharaoh. Joseph was made second in command (Genesis 41).
Our Favor and Influence Blesses Others
Joseph’s gift led to Pharaoh’s favor which led to Joseph being placed in a position to directly influence Pharaoh’s decision-making.
Joseph was able to create and implement a system to keep everyone fed when the seven years of famine that he correctly foretold came. When Joseph’s brothers, who had previously rejected him, landed in Egypt in search of food, his position of influence allowed him to be a blessing to his entire family (Genesis 42).
When Joseph was sold by his brothers, he probably didn’t understand that it was a blessing in disguise. At times, our gifts single us out and cause us to be front and center for things we never asked for. Perhaps we’re experiencing this right now at our jobs with coworkers and superiors.
We are being called to take on more responsibility. Our bosses notice how hard we work (because we work as unto the Lord) and ask for our input about processes, systems, and morale that could positively impact not only our job, but the jobs of others we work with. Consider it a blessing in disguise; consider it an opportunity to show the work of Christ in action.
Maintain Favor and Influence
There are three things I believe the children of God must always do to maintain their favor and influence:
- Spend time with God
- Correctly identify the seasons
- Move when God says to move
We can see all three of these actions in the story of Joseph when he sought God for the interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams, spoke about the impending famine, and per the interpretation received, moved to make preparations during the time of plentiful harvest.
Take Back Authority
Most importantly, our influence and favor will allow us to take back authority in the areas that the enemy has been able to run rampant.
So many places of influence have been left vacant or unmanned by followers of Christ. The earth waits in eager expectation for the children of God to reveal themselves (Romans 8:19). Let’s step into our positions of authority through our God-given favor and influence.
Featured photo by West Kenya Union Conference Adventist Media on Unsplash; In-text photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash
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