Favour 1 Sam. 2:26 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

It is more important to have favour with God than it is to have favor with men.  God will give you favor with men [Gen 39:21; Ex 3:21].  Too much time is spent trying to gain favor with men.  That time would be far better spent in favour with God.  You have favour with God:

Through worship – 1 Sam 1:28; 2:18, 26 – what Samuel did in the house of the Lord was not for himself, it was for the Lord.  Eli and his sons were there for themselves.  Samuel did not use his office to promote himself, to take advantage of others or to prosper personally.  Notice that as Samuel ministered before the Lord he was “in favour both with the Lord, and also with men.”  In this he was like Jesus [Lk 2:52].  If God wants you to have favor with men, he will make it happen as you seek to please him.  And if you fall out of favor with men for having favour with God, so be it.  That’s what happened to Jesus when he prophesied in his own land and when he was crucified. So, just do what you do for the Lord and worship him.

Through humility – 2 Sam 15:25-26 – David did not presume that God would show him favor even though God had always been good to David [Acts 7:46].  David had no expectations that God should favour him in exile.  In other words, he left the choice whether God would show him favour to God [Job 2:10].  We get the idea sometimes that since we are Bible believers, we deserve special favour with God.  God’s favour is God’s business, not ours.  Just be thankful every time God is favorable to you.  Never take his favor for granted.

Through righteousness – Job 33:26 – Elihu said to Job that God will render unto man his righteousness.  This is not self-righteousness which elevates man and abases God.  This is righteousness that is pleasing to God [Ps 5:12; Prov 12:2].  Christians are far too casual about sin today.  Yield to the righteousness of Jesus Christ within you and stay as far away from sin as you can.  God is favorable to those who live in righteousness.

Through prayer – Ps 119:58 – the psalmist knew from the words of God that the Lord is merciful and so he asked for his favour.  That’s a good prayer.  God loves the prayers of his saints and is certainly inclined to show his favor to those who are praying.

Through mercy and truth – Prov 3:3-4 – mercy and truth are the balanced pair.  They are balanced attributes of the Lord.  He purges iniquity with mercy when there is truth.  Often parents extend mercy where there is no truth.  And often those who know the truth extend no mercy.  Yet when mercy and truth are balanced then there is favour with God.

Through marriage – Prov 18:22 – it was God’s choice to give Adam a wife.  It was God’s design that the church should be the bride of Christ.  The wife God is talking about here is the one of his design and choosing [Prov 19:12; Heb 13:4].  Don’t be so hasty to marry.  Wait on God.  And when he gives you a good wife, you are to love her like Christ loved the church.

Through grace – Is 60:10 – Israel really doesn’t do anything to deserve the favour of the Lord.  He has mercy on them for his sake.  Likewise, we don’t deserve God’s favor either.  It should help us to remain humble to remember this.

Conclusion: concern yourself with these things and with God’s favour.  Don’t worry about favor with men.