Walking in Favour with God and Man
Every two weeks, Awaken Generation releases a new podcast episode of ‘Worship Conversations’, available for listening on Spotify. Dedicated to equipping and empowering the Body of Christ, the podcast aims to draw all believers back to the priority and intimacy of worship. Here are some excerpts from a recent episode where Senior Leader Calvin shares about how favour is founded in the 3Gs - grace, generosity, and gratitude (2 Cor 9:6-15).
A simple yet profound verse that is close to my heart is Luke 2:52 “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and man.” In my walk with God, I’m realising it is important for us as believers to recognise we are called to walk in favour with both God and man. How? I believe these three things highlighted in 2 Corinthians 9:6 - 15 provide us with some understanding.
God gives us the GRACE we need
Firstly, we need God’s grace to walk in favour with God and man. It says in verse 9: “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”
Have you heard people say “There’s a grace on you” whenever you are good at something? Personally, I have no grace when it comes to budgets and spreadsheets. I do my best, but I struggle with numbers. Some friends of mine are so gifted in this area. God has given me the grace to excel in other things, like teaching or in sports.
We all have natural and supernatural giftings. Perhaps you recognise an ease when it comes to exercising your skills and abilities, whether in numbers or writing. You may also be gifted with spiritual talents like preaching, word of knowledge, or hospitality. Sometimes we think of this “ease” or “advantage” as a result of our own skills and abilities, which is not wrong but as James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Every gift, whether spiritual or physical, has been given to us by God. It is His grace on us, in those specific areas, so that we “may abound in every good work.” (2 Cor 9:9)
Favour must lead to GENEROSITY
The favour of God which comes from His generosity cannot stop at us. Having favour with God from the grace He has poured out on our lives should also help us to walk in favour with man too. Our posture should be “How can I use the favour You have given me to be a blessing to others?”.
I love the story of Mary’s encounter with the angel in Luke 1:28 -30. She is called “favoured one” and said to have “found favour with God.” It strikes me that before she accepted her assignment from God, she was already called favoured. God saw something in Mary and wanted to entrust her with this incredible assignment. Her posture of humility before God in response to His call reveals to us why perhaps she has found favour with Him. Her response was not to take this favour and keep it to herself. She said “yes” to the tremendous task of bearing Jesus into the world, despite the challenges she would have to face. Her “yes” to accept the favour from God led to obedience to serve others by carrying the Saviour into this world.
In verse 13 of 2 Corinthians 9, Paul says that people will glorify God because of “your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others.” Our conviction of the gospel is reflected by our generosity towards others.
Using the grace He has given us to bless others will glorify His name. If we keep favour to ourselves, we become like a lake or the Dead Sea. We may accumulate favour, but there is no impact beyond ourselves. Instead, we want to be a river, where streams of living water flow out from us into the places and spaces we have the opportunity to influence.
Extending grace and generosity produces GRATITUDE
As we recognise the favour in our lives given by God, and choose to walk in generosity towards others, we inspire gratitude to God. Verse 11 says “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” God gives us everything we need to be generous, and through our giving and serving others, we inspire thanksgiving to God. Doors to the gospel will be opened. Personally, I experienced this in my own life, and would like to share a memorable incident that happened a few years ago.
While I was back home in New Zealand visiting my family, my dad and I went to get groceries. While queuing, there was some commotion in front of us between the lady and the cashier. Her card was declined a few times, and embarrassed, the lady left the store.
At that moment, I felt the Lord speak to me, to pay for her groceries. I resisted, because it would probably cost a lot. But the Lord said, “You carry my favour, Calvin. And when you extend this favour to somebody, they will be blessed.”
So I bought all her groceries, to the cashier’s confusion, and hurried after the lady. As I handed her the bags, I said, “You don’t have to pay for it. God has paid for you. He wants to bless you.”
I could see tears well up in her eyes. It had been a challenging time for her as they just relocated from South Africa. She was so discouraged over the last week, and this really lifted her spirits. To my surprise, she asked, “What church do you go to? I would love to visit, because I have never seen such generosity shown!”
The groceries might have cost a couple of hundred dollars, but compared to someone experiencing the love of God, it is nothing! Generosity, by the grace given to us by God, opens doors to the gospel and produces thanksgiving to God!
What are some gifts, spiritual or physical, you feel you have been given grace in? How can you actively walk in generosity to others? As you thank the Lord for His grace and generosity in your life, and show the same to others, you will walk in favour with both God and man.