Most of us play favorites, whether we admit it or not. All parents try to love their children with equal devotion. That’s hard to do. My own parents had a favorite: it was my sister, I’m convinced. Yet from her incorrect perspective, I was the favorite. Favoritism seems to be a part of our biblical perspective. Abraham and Sarah favored Isaac over Ishmael. Then old Isaac favored Esau the country boy, but his wife Rebekah favored pompous little Jacob. There’s no doubt old Jacob himself later favored and spoiled little Joseph. Most of us would say that the true course of action for a parent would be to love and favor the child that needs it most at the time.

Even preachers play favorites when it comes to certain Scriptures for sermons. Fortunately, some preachers use a lectionary and move t…