Meaning Of Favour – What It Is Not

In today’s world, it is becoming increasingly difficult to establish the meaning of favour and what it is not. Therefore, in order to lead us to the truth, it is necessary that we examine the subject matter very objectively. Favour is primarily defined as a peculiar act of goodwill, which is very similar to partiality. Doing someone a favour means that you actually prefer them to someone else. To put it another way, you act in a way that you wouldn’t normally act toward another individual. That’s the concept of favour. Of course, the recipient is free to request it. However, this is where there is a fine line between a real favour and a supposed one. Sadly, the concept has been severally modified as a means to an end.

Meaning And Examples Of Favour

To understand what favour truly means, there are many examples that come to mind, but let’s consider these 3.

• Say you were driving home from work when your automobile broke down. You parked close to the highway. At the same time, you have a visitor coming over just after work—possibly your pastor. You signalled another car to stop while you were still there. In order for you to make it to your appointment, the owner and driver of the car then decided to drive you home. He had no prior acquaintance with you. You were totally unfamiliar to him before that. He did, however, volunteer to assist you, and your excitement was uncontrollable. That’s a wonderful illustration of favour. You did nothing to merit it. If that was your friend from school or a colleague at work, perhaps you would have deserved it.
• Ever received a gift from someone? It might only be a drink or it might be something significant like a house or car. That’s favour in display. When it is something you have been wanting or perhaps planning to get, you will feel exceptionally happy about it. It is a favour, whether or not you can afford it on your own. This is typically observed on people’s birthdays or other significant occasions. This type makes you feel unique on “a special day,” making it the hardest to forget. Sometimes too, you could actually be feeling the blues when someone unexpectedly favours you. Then, you quickly burst into tears of delight!
• You are a first-year student. Your parents paid the school expenses, and you recently started classes. You ran out of money just as you needed it for textbooks. Then, a male or female friend or colleague learned about it. They then offered to help you out by giving you some cash so you could buy some textbooks. They did you a favour, whether or not they required you to pay the money back. It is also possible to receive favours in this way from neighbours, distant relatives, or complete strangers. It’s fine to request such a favour. Monetary favours can be observed in other diverse situations.

What Favour Is Not

Favour does not ask your sweat or recompense. Once you have to toil or fulfill certain obligations, or pay back in a different form, it is business and not favour. There are many aspects to this. 

• Don’t consider it a favour when the intention is to receive a similar or greater favour from you in the near future.
• When you have to give back your body or sexual fulfillment in exchange, don’t think of it as a favour. That is prostitution, to put it simply.
• When you always have to submit your will or viewpoint to the whims of the giver, don’t think of it as a favour. That’s enslavement.
• When you or they (the doer) have no peace of mind afterwards, that’s most definitely not the meaning of favour.
• When during a misunderstanding with the doer they make reference to the favour, it was obviously not done with the purest of motives.

Also Read: Honesty is the best policy

My Air Xperience

Prosper T. Nwankwo is a Nigerian writer with well pronounced talents. Content writing is one of his strong suits. While blogging professionally, Mr. Prosper maintains his interests in technology and real estate. He publishes for My Air Xperience and other websites.