Think about one of your best friends. Did you become friends because someone else told you to? Of course not! You became friends because you liked the other person, and they liked you. You shared some of the same interests. Once you make a friend, how do you treat them? You’re kind to them, you show them special attention, and you give them your stamp of approval. In other words, you favor them because they’re important in your life. You give it to them as a gift because of who they are.
God sent the angel Gabriel to a young woman named Mary to deliver some astounding news. When Gabriel came, he didn’t simply say, “Hi, Mary. How’re you doing?” Gabriel greeted her in an extra special way by telling Mary that she was favored and God was with her. What a wonderful hello! God didn’t send Gabriel to share His favor with Mary because He picked her randomly; He chose her for a reason. Just like you choose your friends based on who they are, there was something about Mary that God approved of – she followed Him and obeyed His laws. Because God saw Mary’s faithfulness to Him, He chose to show her favor and bless her with an amazing purpose for her life.
To favor someone is to show gracious kindness to them. Talk as a family about ways you can show kindness to others — siblings, parents, neighbors, and even people you don’t know. Maybe you could bake a treat and deliver it to a neighbor or pay for someone else’s meal at a restaurant. Perhaps you could bless parents or grandparents by helping around the house without being asked. Maybe it’s simply deciding to share smiles and greetings with people you see throughout your day. Choose one or two things your family can do for others this Christmas season to show gracious kindness.
