I'm God's Favorite

“God is so in love with all of you,” I leaned forward in my chair as children sat Indian-style on the floor before me.  I had been in San Antonio, Texas once before to help at a children’s conference in this very church, in fact.  And so I knew the energy each boy and girl had the potential of displaying, but somehow, they graciously kept their composer.  Their eyes were fixated on me as I shared stories and tried to correlate each testimony to their lives.  But little did I know that the words I was soon to hear would carry more depth than I could ever hope to teach or fully comprehend.  And those words would come from the simple and curious heart of a child.        

I said it again, “God is so in love with each one of you!” A hand rose from the middle of this child-congregation and his fingers wiggled and waved as if he had not already been seen.  I pointed to the boy, “Yes?”

He dropped his hand and looked around at the eyes of the other children as they turned their gazes to him.  “I know that God loves EVERYONE, but when I pray, He makes me feel like I’m His favorite,”

I could not have been more impressed.  “You get it! You have experienced how personal God’s love is towards you!” I shouted proudly.  “It is not only that God loves the world as a whole, but He loves you, and you, and you…” As I spoke, I pointed to random children in the crowd and seized their eyes with my own.  My smile, which had already been beaming from the presence of young company, had now amplified at the pronouncing of this boy’s profound thought.  I had arrived that morning with the intent of teaching these children, but I realized in that moment that their understanding of God’s love could, very well, have put my own beliefs and ideas to shame. 

Never underestimate the mind of a child.  Too often, the concepts and beliefs that come naturally to them put years of our greatest studies, teachings and principles to shame.  Their simplicity ought to shine a light on what truly matters, because their love does not gleam from the traditions, moral values or expectations that society or religion have had any chance to place on them.  There is a love and curiosity in every child’s eyes; and I believe it to be Heaven-born.