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Experts say parents should be very careful of playing favorites with children. Since each child is different, each needs to feel loved and special. Otherwise, the feeling of rejection can haunt them all through their lives. When Jacob came to the end of his life, he identified traits in his sons, and predicted what each would become. Remarkably, his predictions came true. Bible scholars believe in this role, he was a prophet. On the other hand, he had spent many years with his sons. He had observed their traits; he knew these traits would manifest themselves all their lives. For example, he saw how Judah often took leadership, so he predicted that Judah would be a leader among his brothers. He saw how Joseph persisted despite the way his brothers treated him; he predicted that Joseph would be a prince among his brothers. Here is how Jacob expressed his thoughts about Joseph: “Archers attacked him savagely; they shot at him and harassed him. But his arms were strengthened by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, by the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel. May the God of your father help you, and may the Almighty bless you with blessings of the heavens above.” No, avoiding favoritism is not always easy, because each child is different. So parents must remain vigilant, and be as fair as possible.
