Highly Favored & Blessed
Everyone wants to be used of God for great things. We all dream of that day when we will do something that shakes the earth and changes the church forever. We all want to be the next Martin Luthor, Billy Graham, Jim Elliot, Heidi Baker, or Reinhard Bonnke. People we would call honored by God, highly favored, and blessed beyond measure.
What about the Prophets? John the Baptist? Joseph? Paul? Mary? The angel told her that she was “highly favored…blessed [she was] among women” (Lk 1:28, KJV). Hmmm. Yes, that’s true! She was favored. She was the first person that God Himself indwelled. Weird, right? But what an honor! She birthed something that changed the world forever. But that favor and honor came with the price of shame. In Jewish culture, honor and shame were the deciding factors in a decision, and were among the highest valued ideals in their society. She chose a life of dishonor in exchange for something so much better.
Joseph could have had Mary killed for her apparent infidelity. Instead, he chose to keep her as his wife. That was a disgraceful, dishonoring decision! But he traded honor for the opportunity to father and disciple the God of the universe! WHAT?!
Paul gave up a life as a Jew of Jews and Roman of Romans. He was le crème de la crème. but he surrendered status and lifestyle and success to become the leader of the ones he used to torture. He knew that it was suicide, but he realized that “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39). So he did.
Hosea was honored as a prophet, but was commanded to take a prostitute as a wife, and to take her back again, and again, and again, and again. John the Baptist got to prepare the way of Christ, but he was probably the weirdest person ever; his honored position looked a lot like King Nebuchadnezzar’s humiliation. The Old Testament’s Joseph was favored and chosen; his honor got him thrown in prison and slandered. Noah’s honor made him the laugh of the town. David’s chance of anointing was less than an afterthought to his family, and even after that event, he was mocked and ridiculed. The prophets were often running for their lives and being sustained at the brink of starvation. The apostles were almost all martyred. Abraham was honored, but had to leave everything behind. Abel was honored and murdered because of it.
What I’m saying is this. Do not be afraid to be weird and step off the beaten path (it’s the narrow road that leads to salvation anyway). Dream big. Expect big things, but also understand that we are citizens of an upside-down kingdom where “the last shall be first and the first shall be last,” where (even with all miraculous signs and wonders hailing his birth) the King of the universe was born in a manger surrounded animals, shepherds, and pagans. Two elderly people were the only ones who saw it coming!
What is honor usually doesn’t look like it! To be the greatest, we make ourselves the least! After all, Jesus reminds us that He aligns himself to “the least of these brothers of mine” (Matt. 25:40) and that when we “give to the poor, [we] lend to the Lord” (Prov. 19:17).
Do not let the world’s thoughts or even the religious leaders’ opinions about you deter you from the seed God has planted in your heart. What if Mary aborted what Holy Spirit placed within her? WHOA. What if any of these heroes of the faith chose mediocrity and the safe, established system instead of a life of dishonor (from the world’s perspective)? What God is doing is usually different than what everyone thinks or is comfortable with. His plan will never be popular, either with the world or the old wineskin. He is DIAMETRICALLY opposed to every worldly way of thinking (Joshua 5:13-15).
So if you feel crazy, and are constantly reminded of the cost of discipleship, you are in good company (and you’re probably in God’s company). I believe God is calling His church to be crazy — to be so different than the world that we do stick out like a sore thumb. But I also believe He wants us to be so secure, rested, and rooted in the truth of His Word and the revelation of our place in Christ that we can clearly and powerfully give a defense for our faith. (aside: I’m not talking about debates; that’s one of the least Gospel-centered approach to sharing truth that I’ve ever encountered. As a Christian, I’ve felt hurt by them. Let’s model humility and love, respecting others, and sharing the good news of the Gospel of the Kingdom.) Let’s walk in God’s love and give it away! Let’s allow ourselves to revel in freedom and pursue our dreams! Let’s answer the call to preach Christ, and bring others along with us.
