Showing Favoritism

Scripture: Genesis 37: 4-5
But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.

Observation:
I wonder why Jacob showed his favoritism? Didn't he realize that it would cause jealousy? Maybe he felt the need to show extra special attention toward Joseph because his mother died. Whatever the reason, Joseph was the favorite son and it caused his brothers to not just dislike him but actually hate him. Then to make matters worse he has a couple of dreams where they are all bowing down to him and he just has to run and tell his brothers about it. Well it is not surprising that they hate him even more. I wonder if Joseph wasn't rubbing it in just a little. He surely knew that he was favored and at the time did not fear his brothers.
Jacob has been showing favoritism all along as these children were growing up. Rachel was his favorite wife. He loved her and he loves her children. He was tricked into having Leah for a wife. So this attitude has been carried forward and passed on to the children. Leah knew that Jacob chose and loved Rachel. She knew that she became his wife through deceit. She felt unloved because she wasn't chosen. Leah spent her whole life trying to get Jacob to love her. She thought if she gave him lots of children that he would finally love her. While Jacob may have come to love Leah and her children, I don't think he loved her with the kind of love he had for Rachel and her children.

Application:
Showing favoritism is not a good thing especially if you have more than one child. I think there is a good lesson to learn from this story. Favoritism causes jealousy and hatred to form in the hearts and minds of those who aren't favored. It can also cause the favored ones to be proud, arrogant and boastful. If you want to have good family relationships or any relationship for that matter, do not show favoritism.

Prayer:
Dear Lord please help me to show my children that they are loved equally. Help me to treat them without partiality. Help them see Your love in me. In Jesus name Amen.