It seems at least at some level, God does indeed show favoritism...
Psa 78:67-68 He rejected the tent of Joseph; he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, (68) but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loves.
God seemed to show favoritism by choosing Samuel over everyone else...
1Sa 2:26-28 Now the young man Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the LORD and also with man. (27) And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, "Thus the LORD has said, 'Did I indeed reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt subject to the house of Pharaoh? (28) Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? I gave to the house of your father all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel."
Rom 9:12-13 she was told, "The older will serve the younger." (13) As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
This passage of Scripture seems to bring out the question, or perhaps better... the accusation.... that God was INDEED playing favorites here.... because Paul senses this accusation is coming by saying Rom 9:14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means!"
God's showing favor to one person in a way that He did not show it to someone else is God's divine prerogative ...... He is King... He does as He pleases......
and those of us who write to and read this forum.... are we not blessed in ways that so many others are not? Did not God show to us great mercies and kindnesses that He did not show to others? God is sovereign right? Therefore no one is born at any time or at any place but that the Lord Himself causes it to be so.... And since none of us are here by chance, but rather we are here because of God's sovereign will and decree, He has blessed us in ways that millions upon millions of people were never blessed.... while I am not referring to material issues per se, though the same argument could be made for that as well.... we are born to a land of plenty while millions upon millions of people were born into and died in times of famine... but not so with us... why? It certainly isn't anything inherent within us that makes us more deserving of such awesome privileges then someone else who wasn't born into such unprecedented wealth and abundance. But for reasons known only to God we were given so much, while others were born into disease, drought and famine. So in even material ways God has shown favoritism to us that He has not shown to others.... But even more importantly, as to spiritual matters... matters pertaining to eternity.. God has shown us favor that He did not has not and will not show to others.... we have had the opportunity to hear of Christ, and the opportunity to call upon His namer and be saved.... yet millions upon millions of other people who have lived... are living now... and will live... without ever having the benefit of hearing the gospel.... so God showing us this mercy, this kindness.... this favor.... is doing so, granting us favor that He has not is not and will not show to others. As one who takes the Bible seriously, and quite literally when it says that there is no other name under heaven by which men may be saved, have to conclude that anyone who has not known about Christ, has not been able to call upon His name for salvation.... well these people are lost.... therefore God does show favoritism, both as to material possessions and to salvational issues....
and thus, looking back to the earlier passages from Romans 9, Paul teaches us:
Rom 9:15-16 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." (16) So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy."
God does have favorites then.... these favorites are those who will make up the Bride of Christ... these are persons God has decided to show mercy to, while sovereignly deciding not to show that same mercy to others.
I know this teaching just doesn't sit well with modern day Americans. We live in a republic/democracy... however, the deeper reality is this: we don't live in a republic, democracy or any other man-made version of government... rather, we live in a theocracy... we live in a universe that is NOT man-centered, but one that is GOD-centered.... once we realize this, then objections to God's showing mercy to those He will, and not showing to others, will fall away.
Of course there are passages like Romans 2:10-12 and Colossians 3:23-25. But these passages simply show that as far as God's justice is concerned, He applies the same standards of justice across the board to everyone. The wages of sin is death... no one is exempt from this rule.... BUT while everyone gets justice, and here is the main point.... SOME get mercy.... and those who do get mercy get it... not on the basis of anything from within themselves... not because they were holier than the next person, because we are all sinners, rather, some get mercy because God has chosen to do so, and ultimately, for no other reason.
blessings,
Ken