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REFLECTION

The theme for our reflection is God’s Favour. God’s favour is the divine grace, kindness, and approval shown by God to people, leading to blessings and special treatment. We shall reflect on the fact that in God’s economy, the least are also favoured.

Beloved in the Lord, when the people of God requested a King, God gave them one from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe of Israel and from the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin. Saul was an ordinary young man from the smallest tribe of Israel and also from the least of the clans of the smallest tribe of Israel. We would have expected, by our understanding of seniority, that God would consider appointing a King from the Biggest tribe and the most significant clan among the biggest tribe. In any case, the world deals with who is the biggest and most important when it comes to leadership and economic decisions. The USA and other countries called “The Superpowers” would always want to be at the forefront of any decision-making in international politics, economics and security. Again, in most African cultures, the elder son enjoys the privileges of leadership and inheritance before other younger siblings in line are considered, but in God’s economy, God can favour anyone, including the smallest and the least. When Samuel revealed to Saul that God had favoured him and his family as the one fulfil Israel’s desire for a monarchy, Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?” (1 Samuel 9:21) In other words, Saul is astonished and unable to comprehend God’s favour. This was the same thing David felt when God assured him that His kingdom would be established forever. David said, “Who am I, Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? (2 Samuel 7:18). Paul’s also confirmed that he was the least but by His grace he was called to glorify God, “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them —yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:9-10)

Beloved in the Lord, you may be feeling insignificant because of your family, educational or professional background. People may have ignored you because you do not meet the standard of the world that makes a person important. The truth is that Jesus also went through similar disapproval from his own people. His credibility and value to society were questioned and undermined when the people said, “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offence at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honour except in his own town and in his own home.” (Matthew 13:55-57) Similarly, when “Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote —Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. (John 1:45-46). Dear friend in Christ, this same Jesus who was despised and undermined turned the world upside down, saved many and transformed destinies. Indeed, it is for this purpose Paul wrote, “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10-11)

Beloved in the Lord, you may be nothing to others today, but it does not change God’s plans and purposes for your life. Others may see you as a nonentity and an ordinary person, but God is about to do extraordinary things in your life to elevate you from the state of nonentity to glorify Himself. Paul crowns it all when He wrote to the church of Corinth, “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not —to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29) Let us not be like Saul, who started with humility and later disobeyed God because he was bloated with power. Let us remain humble in our small or least positions, and more importantly, let’s remain humble during our time of elevation or greatness, for Jesus assured us, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5) In other words, God will favour the humble and grant them power to rule the world. If you are like Saul, living your ordinary life and running errands for your parents and availing yourself for community service in humility and occupying the least position in life, do not be discouraged, continue to serve the God who is the elevator of persons. We are told, “ Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, ‘Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over his inheritance? (1 Samuel 10:1). I am here to announce to you that the smallest or least background is irrelevant in God’s economy, just continue to be humble and serve, and in His own time His favour of elevation and glory shall rest upon you.

In summary, we have discovered that our least position in life is not a disadvantage in God’s economy. Unlike the standards of the world, in God’s economy, the least are also favoured and elevated for glory.

PRAYER

May the favour of God continue to rest and abide with us. Amen.