"Favor Ain't Fair," But Grace Is

Lately, I have been 'running into' vehicles that have paint on their back window.  Typically, I would expect to see "Go, Texans" or "Way to go, Bobby!" or  "Tigers, all the way to state!"  Instead, the slogan of the day: "Jesus loves this city."  And then there is some random scripture quoted which I am sure does not mention Houston, Texas or even Pearland, Texas, at all.  So what's up with that?  Simple answer: nationalism is once again confused with Christianity by 'well-meaning,' poorly theologized Christians.  I hesitate to call them Christians.  Honestly, they are not even 'wannabes'.  You have to know what the title means to really wanna wear it.  Sadly, many churches do not teach Christianity 101; instead, they skip right to Church Stuff 101.  Big difference.  How about Micah 6:8 or Isaiah 58: 5-7?  Or Mark 7: 1-9 and Luke 19: 41-43.  I John 4:7-9 really says it all.  "God is love."  And love looks like this: folks sacrificing for other folks, folks that they don't know and folks that don't even look like them.  And that's not favor, that's grace.  While I love Pastor Jakes and his declaration that "favor ain't fair!", it behooves Christians to keep that statement in perspective.  Hebrew scripture says that the Israelites were indeed chosen.  But even writing their own story, they could not escape God's purpose.  Over and over again, the prophets remind them that they were chosen to be an example to "all nations", to be the righteousness/justice in the world.  Old Testament justice had much to do with helping the poor, the orphaned and the widow, and less to do with nationalism.  The 'theology of choseness' is more about a people being a light in a dark world, and less about individuals being blessed or favored.  

To the folks who have taken the time to paint their back window: the conversation is not about Jesus' love for this city or that.  No, it's about your love, our love for all cities.  Remember the fundamental favorite: "For God so loved the world..."  That includes the entire world: poor people, folks on the government dole, rich white people, Black presidents, homosexuals, people with thick accents who are not British and those who are, Mitt Romney, Rush Limbaugh, Anderson Cooper, Muslims - extremists and 'the kind that are okay,' annoying teenagers with sagging pants like Justin Bieber, bad drivers, racists, the folks who are in denial about racism, sexists, thieves, rapists, people who have abortions, people who condone the right for people to have abortions, Senators who have affairs, her, him, them.  There is nothing qualifying about the love of God in that scripture.  The qualifying part comes later.  It simply says that whoever lives by (belief is not something that happens in the head, but rather, in the heart and the heart prompts action) the example of Jesus Christ, shall not perish or live a miserable, worthless life.  So game day "John 3:16" sign holders, wave those signs with new fervor, knowing that you are indeed holding a sign for the world to see, reminding us all that 'favor ain't fair,' but grace really is.