Genesis 37:1 -11

Good intentions do not always equal good results. Jacob intended to be a good father. I believe most parents intend to be good parents. Parental relations are some of the hardest to get right. It does not always work out as well as we hope.
Jacob made one of the classic mistakes. He showed favoritism. We may love our children in different ways, after all each child is different. Jacob did not love Joseph differently, he loved him more. He compounds that mistake by letting the other children see that he loved one more than the rest.

All children want to be loved by their parents. To be loved less than another child hurts. I did not believe Jacob intended to hurt all his children by loving Joseph more. No matter his intention, that was the result. Jacob hurt eleven sons by favoring one son more.

Showing favoritism not only hurts the other children, it hurts the one that is favored. Jacob’s favoritism hurt Joseph. Joseph grew up being a brat. He was spoiled. He thought he was better than his brothers. He had no sense of humility. It is true that low self-esteem can be a problem, but over inflated self-esteem can be just as much of a problem.

Jacob favoritism also hurt Joseph because it caused a rift in his relationships with his brothers. It caused jealousy, and because of the favoritism they hated Joseph. In the end it almost caused Joseph to be killed. It did cause him to be sold into slavery.

Some would not want to call Jacobs favoritism Sin. It did miss the mark, and it was not righteous. I do not believe it was intentional disobedience, but the results were still devastating. His favoritism released a power for evil into his family’s world.

The Bible makes clear in several passages that God does not show favoritism. Godly parents must not show favoritism either. Favoritism destroys families.