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Gaining Favor
This chapter is about gaining favor in the eyes of both the Creator and man. While learning about favor, I also want to show you more about the ways of our Father. We need to know His ways if we are going to gain His favor. By learning and living more of our Father's ways, favor grows in our lives. Favor comes to us, when we apply what the Lord has taught us.
We start by looking at examples where people gained the favor of God. Each person may have a different reason for wanting favor, but all people gain favor the same way.
In the book of 1 Chronicles, A son was born to a particular woman. For an unknown reason, the woman gave her son a grievous name. She named her baby boy, Jabez. In Hebrew, Jabez means sorrowful. The woman said she did it because she carried him with sorrow; however, the details are missing. No one knows what caused this woman's sorrow or why she took it out on her boy. It could have been shame, a burden, pain, or other evil. Nevertheless, Jabez was his name.
I think Jabez's life must have matched his name. The scriptures show that he wanted to improve his life. To do so, he did the exact thing that is required to have favor from our Lord. Jabez called on God and asked for help to solve his problem. The scripture also says that God granted his request. It states that Jabez was more honorable than his brethren. I think Jabez had honor after the Lord answered him. Honor gave Jabez a better spirit and a better outlook. It caused him to walk righteously. Jabez found the way to gain favor with God and man.
"And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested." I Chronicles 4:9-10
You should add this piece of fruit to your basket. As you read scriptures, notice the order of names and events. When the Lord states names or gives details in a sequence, He lists the most important ones last. The last scripture has this form. Earlier in this book, we talked about the last being first. God neither changes nor does His ways change. Be careful when you are reading scriptures. You will miss the important points.
Gaining favor requires a specific stance or position. In the next scripture, look at the comparison our Lord gave to us concerning the godly versus the ungodly. Notice the pattern of the Godly man as set forth by the Lord. We are to follow this pattern. The Lord not only shows us the correct design for our lives, but also what causes a person to follow the correct path.
The answer to living a godly life is simply meditating on the Word of God. Meditation does not mean prayer as the unlearned would perceive. Considering a course or lengthy planning is meditation. Keeping the Word of God always before us is meditation. Meditation is having the Word of God on our minds and pondering it in the depths of our souls.
The Word of God is the Bible as well as His Son. One is written, and One is Spirit. The scripture gives us direction as we view or judge what is going on around us. Notice the reward for doing what God said and doing it His way. Whatever a person continually does, the doing will prosper. The flesh will not prosper; the doing or work will.
The ungodly do not follow God's ways. Their direction changes as the wind. They jump from place to place as they look for the next satisfaction. Peace eludes them. When hard times come, they cannot stand. Built on sand, their houses shift and crumble.
Salvation is given by Jesus Christ. It is the greatest of gifts. If we will have it, Jesus will give more than salvation. The Lord holds nothing back from us. If we are willing, He is willing. All the gifts that were given to Christ are available to us. The favor of God is as near as the words in your mouth. Favor is available for the asking.
When doing so, be willing to do His work. Let Him direct you on the right path for your life. You will have the joy of favor. Right now, settle it in your mind and in your heart.
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the council of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law does he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so; but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish." Psalms 1:1-6
Most of us wait until overcome by trouble before we remember to do the right things. The prudent path is to make preparations before we face trials. Friend, complete the foundation; then build the walls.
During the time Christ walked on this earth, He made preparation from the beginning of His life. He did it by listening to what our Father said to Him, and He learned from what He heard.
The scriptures tell of an incident when Jesus was just a boy. His mother and stepfather were looking for Him. They found Him in the Temple, conversing with the teachers. Jesus astonished the Rabbis with His weighty questions. Even in the beginning, Jesus had favor with God and man.
"And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them." Luke 2:45-50
Now, here is an unusual contrast between Jesus and John the Baptist. The Lord selected John the Baptist to make straight the way for the coming of Jesus Christ. The scriptures speak of John and his learning. They also compare John's earthly experiences to those of Jesus'.
Notice, John was in dry places until the Lord brought him forth to Israel. I am convinced that the Lord personally trained John. Afterwards, He wanted Israel to hear what John had to say. It seems to me that the Lord was proud of John. The Lord approved of the way God had prepared John. It reads as though John had seen real tough times in God's classroom. This first scripture is about John.
"And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel." Luke 1:80
Now, look what the scriptures say about Christ. Wisdom filled Christ. That means God's grace was on Him. As He lived, Jesus learned the first time. He learned of our Father's ways before the testing came.
Jesus was in dry places during His earthly life. Dry places, however, never caused Him to thirst for the Spirit of God. Jesus had a spiritual fountain from which He drank. He also poured it forth to others. Christ was and is the Well of Life; He flows from our Father to man. Men recognized this in Jesus. Why do you think Jesus astonished the Rabbis?
The Lord gives favor to those willing to have it, the ones willing to learn, do and teach. We talked about this earlier. Read these scriptures, and see what our Father said about His Son, Jesus Christ.
"And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him." Luke 2:40
"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." Luke 2:52
Earlier in this book, I talked about getting out of traps. Do you remember? If you fail to learn while in the snare, you will return to the snare shortly after you get out. Do you remember what the proverb says about the dog and the pig?
This instance is one where a person learned well. Do you remember what the scriptures say about Joseph, the son of Jacob? Even when Joseph was cast into prison, he still had favor with God and man. The Lord gave favor to Joseph early in his life and for good reason.
As we go forward, here is a point of interest. The coat of many colors that Jacob made for his son, Joseph, was not a patch-work quilt. It was not a garment made of worn-out clothing. It was not the coat of an impoverished boy. Jacob did not make his son a many-colored coat because they were poor. At that time, Jacob was one of the richest men on earth.
Jacob made the garment to represent a spiritual symbol for all to see. It was a way of favoring his son. It said the responsibilities for the spiritual matters of Jacob's family were on Joseph's shoulders. The coat signified that Jacob had passed his spiritual responsibilities to his son, Joseph.
Now, you know why his older brothers sold him into slavery. They were not going to tolerate a younger and wiser brother ruling over them. All this was the result of the favor Joseph had found before God and man.
The coat was a magnificent priestly robe. If you want to know what it looked like, read about the coats made for Aaron and his sons. It will give you a good idea about the coat that Jacob made for Joseph and all it represented.
What I want to get across to you is this; though you gain favor, you will still have difficult times. Learn to expect them. They will come. Hard times, dry places, and trouble are all for our good, not our displeasure. Have inward joy in them. They are for our benefit.
One more thing I want to tell you before you read this next scripture. I want you to notice that Joseph was accountable for his actions while in prison; even though, he had favor. The last part of the scripture says; if it happened in the prison, Joseph was responsible for it. It made no difference if it was good or bad. Joseph still stood accountable.
That is the way we should all work. If you are given charge of something, it is totally your responsibility. Work with that thought in mind. Later, give account with that thought in mind. Do not try to blame others or circumstances for your negligence. If you are responsible and something goes amiss, you are accountable.
"And Joseph's master took him, and put him into prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it." Genesis 39:20-22
Favor is a gift from the Lord. To receive such a gift, certain requirements must be met. It would be foolish to give an automobile to a three year old child. God does not give favor to His young children. Again, the word young does not mean in years, but maturing or growth in Christ.
If you want favor with God and men, you will have to prepare yourself to receive it from the Lord. Once you receive favor, it is in your care. The Lord gives as His children can receive.
"And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and men, and hast prevailed." Genesis 39:27-28
"A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn." Proverbs 12:2
"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold." Proverbs 22:1
"Many seek the ruler's favour; but every man's judgement cometh from the LORD." Proverbs 29:26
"Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob." Acts 7:45-46
Jeremiah had always spoken against the king, yet the king still wanted to know what Jeremiah had to say about an upcoming battle. We could say that Jeremiah had favor with the king because Jeremiah was truthful. He said what our Lord told him to say (Jeremiah 38). He held to the Word of God. Honesty or truthfulness brings favor.
Commitment to one's goals brings favor to that person. Commitment develops integrity within a person. When a man learns to serve from his heart, it shows in his deeds. His deeds excel among those of other men. Doing to receive brings failure. Doing to give brings favor.
Joab had nothing to do with humanitarian causes or reforms. Joab was a treacherous and vengeful man. Because of his blind hatred, he was a man capable and guilty of murder. Joab is an example of not needing to be a "Do-gooder" to gain favor.
Joab was unable to forgive Abner for killing his brother. He harbored hate in his heart. He waited for the right opportunity to take vengeance on Abner. When it came, he stabbed Abner in the heart as he was greeting him. Joab believed in accomplishing the job. The methods or rules did not concern him.
Joab was about the same caliber of man as Peter. You know about Peter; he denied knowing Jesus. Peter also tried to kill one of the vigilantes, when they came to arrest Jesus. This same Peter died in service to Christ. You know the accounts. Men's hearts are the same. Man remains man until he sees Jesus.
With all Joab's faults, he still possessed the virtue of commitment. When he went to do a thing, he did it even if it was murder. On the other hand, Joab was committed to David. Joab served David because he loved David. He intended for David to reign as King of all Israel.
When David laid siege against Zion, now Jerusalem, he could not find a way to get into the city. The walls of the fortress were too strong. David, however, knew how to surround himself with capable men because David knew how to lead men. David told his army that the first man over the walls would be Chief and Captain, general of the army. David knew how to reward commitment.
Joab knew the only way David was going to be King of Israel was if he took Zion. Joab put his life on the line when he accepted the challenge. While the rest of the army was saying it could not be done, Joab was the first man in the city. After entering, he fought diligently to open the gates for the rest of the army. David took Zion because of Joab's commitment.
"And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither. Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David. And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house." II Samuel 5:6-8
"And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David. And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab, the son of Zeruiah, went first up and was chief. And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David." I Chronicles 11:5-7
Even with all his faults, Joab prevailed through commitment to a cause. Commitment is a valuable tool in gaining favor. Such commitment must come from the heart. An outstanding example of this is marriage. Commitment to one's spouse brings favor. There may be difficult times in a marriage, but true commitment will prevail and bring favor.
Diligence is a basic tool in gaining favor. Diligence is another of the gifts given from our Lord. Only a handful of people have true diligence. Most substitute effort and call it diligence. Diligence is succeeding, not effort to do so. True diligence comes from the heart of a person, not his mind.
To explain diligence, let me tell you about a man I knew. For this example we will let his name be Ty. Ty's supervisor said this about his willingness "If we were all standing here trying to figure how to get water from the river, Ty would be after it." "He would've grabbed a bucket and be running to the river." "That's the kind of guy Ty is."
Ty understood diligence. Ty received blessings not because he did diligent things; Ty was diligent. Diligence was part of him. He knew how and when to do, and he was quick about it. As the years went by, Ty prospered in that company. His supervisors changed many times. Each one saw diligence in Ty. Because he was a valuable asset, they rewarded him in kind.
The acts of many people are in the Bible. Select ones responded instantly on command. This special set of words show the hearts of three such men: "at thy word." Three times this same set of words appear in the Bible. Only David, Elijah and Peter said them. They show unquestioning faith and loyalty to our Lord. They show the true spirit of a servant. The Lord said that a disciple was to be as his master and a servant as his Lord. Do you learn and do as taught? Do you learn and do as your Lord?
"It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?" Matthew 10:25
"And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word." I Kings 18:36
"I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil." Psalms 119:162
"Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net." Luke 5:4-5
When dealing with people in the workplace, you should be careful about instantly doing their biding. Weigh your instructions with the scriptures. If the directive is pure, follow the instructions instantly. If the directive is flawed, ask Jesus for guidance. He will show you what to say and what to do. Not all men make their decisions in accordance with the scriptures. Such men will tend to lead you into trouble and be unavailable when judgment comes.
You need another tool in your collection of spiritual gifts. That tool is giving. Now is the proper time to show you a truth about giving. When the Lord gives, the gift continues to give. A true gift never stops giving. When our Lord gives a child to a woman, the child is the woman's joy. Because she loves the child, the woman will over-look its faults.
"Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee." Isaiah 49:15
"A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world." John 16:21
Giving gifts that continue to give gains favor. I have seen women bring cakes and treats to the workplace. The women did it because they wanted to do something for their co-workers. Even though, the cakes were eaten and gone, the co-workers remembered the women's deeds. Remembering the women brought to mind their thoughtfulness. The women had given gifts that continued to give.
When you give, make an effort to give unburdening gifts. Anxiety checkmates favor. If you give a man a broken lawn mower, he will spend more time and money getting it to run than any use he might get from it. The man will know you used him as a dump. He will remember you each time he mows his lawn. The same applies to any gift. Newly weds will accept a gaudy gift and, to please you, display it in their home. However, they will remember you each time they see it.
If someone enjoys gardening, give him a fruit tree. The tree will grow and give shade during the summer. In time, it will give fruit, year after year. The owner will have a gift that multiplies his sustenance and joy. The receiver will remember you for the thoughtful act, and you will have his favor. Learn to give these gifts from your heart. God gave such a gift, His Son.
"And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:11-12
"As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste." Song of Solomon 2:3
Bosses may plan the work, but anyone working in the business-world quickly learns that secretaries are the ones who get the job done. They rarely get credit, if ever, for their contribution to the business. Sometimes, they do the job without any recognition.
If you want favor with a company, never forget to give a deserved thank-you gift. You can give a gift to any one, but give with discretion. It may be the gift of a kind word or a small card. The cost is low. The return of favor is high.
Comforting words bring favor to the speaker. Give a comforting word in the time of need. It will bring strength to the receiver, over and over. All people, great and small, need comforting words. A comforting gift continues to give. The Lord comforts us, and because of it, we willingly give ourselves to His service.
"This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me." Psalms 119:50
"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." John 14:16-17
Giving knowledge brings favor to the giver. You have heard the story about giving a fish versus teaching a person to fish. Sharing knowledge with someone causes them to prosper if they follow the teaching. Teach a young person how to change a flat tire. Later, on a dark and lonely night, they will appreciate it.
I am still thankful to Jess for teaching me to layout a foundation for a house or a commercial building. He also taught me how to build a complete house. When I do construction work, I always remember him taking the time to teach me. Teaching knowledge is the same as giving gifts.
"Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold." Proverbs 8:10
"When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge." Proverbs 21:11
A favored person gives to please the receiver. He gives significant and lasting gifts. Give gifts that serve well, not ones that burden. A gift is to meet the receiver's needs, not the giver's needs. A favored person gives without thinking of getting anything in return. This kind of giving is love. Think about this as you ponder the gifts given of God. Then compare them with the gifts you now give. To gain favor, give favor.
"And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall entreat thy favour." Psalms 45:12
"Many will entreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts." Proverbs 19:6
We all face obstacles in the workplace. When we do, most of us compromise and take the path of least resistance. We choose the easiest path at the time. Later, we pay dearly for our faithlessness.
When you know an action is right, pursue it to the end. Favored people stand on the principles of our Lord and see the task through. The favored person stands steadfast even during turmoil. When a person learns persistence in his work, he gains the favor of his employer. A favored person builds on his reputation of persistence.
The wishy-washy person never received anything of our Lord; although, he thinks he has. I said of our Lord, not from our Lord. Straddling the fence and trying to please both sides is a waste of time and labor. Do you know someone straddling the fence in your workplace? These "fence-setters" answer with statements as these: you're probably right, time will tell, or that sounds right. They take no stand while doing it in the name of harmony. Ultimately, they please no one, so there will be neither harmony nor peace. Poison-ivy itches the skin. Sidestepped decisions irritate the soul.
"But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." Matthew 5:37
"But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." James 1:4-7
Let me show you a picture of the lack of persistence and the results. Joash, a king of Israel, was about to do battle with the Syria. Before he did, Joash wanted to know the outcome. He turned to God's prophet to get the foreknowledge. His heart was not in the war, yet Joash had to know. He went to God's man, Elisha, and asked him for a prophecy. Joash thought Elisha would favor him because he was a king. Instead, Elisha furiously pointed out that Joash would win the war, but never have the total victory.
Syria and Israel still fight even until now. Every decision has its fruit, whether it is good or bad. Learn to beat your arrows upon the floor until they are only splinters. You will understand about the arrows when you read the next verses. The goal must be victory.
"Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows. And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands. And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD'S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them. And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed. And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice." II Kings 13:14-19
Throughout the Bible, the Lord depicts select people as persistent. I find no individual, however, more intent on having what he wanted than did the man at the Bethesda pool.
He had been there for a total of thirty-eight years. Each year, he saw others go before him into the pool and receive their healing. Surely, he must have thought of never succeeding in his quest of being first into the pool.
His persistence touched the heart of the only one who was able to heal him, Jesus Christ. After the man's words explained his heart, Jesus proclaimed him healed. This man's heart and persistence moved Jesus.
"Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath." John 5:2-9
This next subject may be difficult to understand. In the West, children grow up to be independent and to do things their way. Such an attitude is usually one of disobedience. I am not talking about blindly doing anything your supervisor says. I am talking about the spirit of obedience. Willingness equates to real obedience; it is the spirit of pleasing. Pleasing is an inward desire. It strives to please both God and man.
We all have the desire to please, particularly, when it is someone we love. If someone uses or mistreats you, do you want to please them? We measure love not by what we do for those we love. Love shows itself when we do loving things for the unlovable. Careful, love is never lustful. Jesus loved His disciples, and they knew it. His relationship to them was centered on Godly love.
Jesus loves His Father. His love was shown in His obedience of the scriptures. As Jesus did, so He taught. The love Jesus taught was a love of committed duty. Duty manifests itself in obedience. Obedience is another expression of love. Do you see the intertwining of love and obedience?
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" Matthew 5:44
"If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it." Isaiah 1:19-20
"If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." John 15:10
The only way you can ever love your enemies is by forgiving them. If you cannot forgive, you cannot have the spirit of submissiveness. Therefore, meekness will elude you. How can you be obedient if your spirit is one of anger? How can you be obedient if your spirit is one of disgust? How can you be obedient if your spirit is one of contempt? Do you see the picture? Favor comes through a willingness to forgive others. How can you truly do for someone, from your heart, when you cannot forgive them?
"Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him." Luke 17:3-4
Confidence draws attention to a person's faith. When you are confident in your actions and words, others respect and trust you. I have seen men succeed, yet they misunderstood why. Others believed what they said, not because of their accuracy because of their confidence.
You can easily see this in most politicians. Why do you think people support them as they do? It is not because of the politician's understanding, the forsaking of evil. A salesman also uses this tool. His words can sway a customer to buy only because of the salesman's projection of confidence. Nevertheless, people still swallow what is palatable to them.
To have a state of confidence, you must believe in something: our Lord, yourself, a product, or whatever. Worshiping anything or anyone, however, other than our Lord will only bring hard times. Believing in our Lord will bring you to His throne. He will give you confidence.
"And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out." Luke 4:36
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16
"And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Luke 1:30-33
Contentment in your surroundings or conditions brings you favor in the workplace. You are not required to like what is happening in the workplace. You are required to learn inner contentment in it to gain favor. Paul had exceptional favor, but I am sure Paul did not enjoy the beatings he received. He did not enjoy the time he spent in prison or floating on the ocean for a full day. He found, however, contentment in his circumstances.
On a lesser scale, you could receive an assignment that you will dislike. If you have an undesirable job, do it as though it were for the Lord Himself, for it is. Do your best. Leave the outcome in the hands of our Lord. He repays justly. Remember, nothing crosses your path unless sanctioned by the Lord. Will you fight against God?
"But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Philippians 4:10-11
"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." Colossians 3:17
Trying to do diligent things will not bring favor to your life. Doing honorable things will not bring favor to your life. Doing virtuous things will not bring favor to your life. Doing honest things will not bring favor to your life, and the list goes on.
The point is this; it is not in the doing. It is in the being. The state of favor is given from God. You must be confident, honorable, content, and so on to gain favor.
The key to gaining favor is understanding the spirit of love, submissiveness, servant, meekness, and the like. Favor comes by meditating on God's Word as stated in Psalm 1. Meditate on God's Word, and God's Word will teach you. Spend time with our Lord; you will find that He has spent time with you.
You know what to do with the following lines. What spirit do you project in the workplace, and is it effectual towards favor?
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The LORD Is GOD Even At Work
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