*Pbbt* my youngest son giggled uncontainably as I gave him a big fat ticklish raspberry on his little cheek. I felt my heart swelling under the sunshine of his contagious joy and familiar words bubbled up: “You are my favorite Elijah ever!”
Now here let us pause and consider. I’ve also said the same thing to his brother many times [using his own name of course.] Does that make it less true for either of them?
No. From the bottom of my motherly heart, an emphatic, categorical “no.” Love is exponential, it multiplies, and yet it’s also completely unique. If this is true for my limited, mortal self, how much more true is it for our immortal, infinite God?
I am His favorite me. But you are His favorite you, and there is no conflict in that. In fact, when we’re secure in the love of our beautiful God, His Love for others no longer feels threatening but becomes a source of delight.
His Love for you brings forth treasures that my own limitations make me unable to see. His Love for you reminds me of His eternally consistent goodness. His Love for you builds my faith in His Love for me. His Love for you makes me love Him more.
So go ahead, be His favorite, my Brother/Sister in Christ: no restraint, no bashfulness. Embrace it fully, celebrate it, soak in it, live from it. It’s who you are, and it’s this Love– through Jesus– that teaches us how to love each other.