The Chinese Jabez

Bill Brown ... Xiamen University
"Jabez cried... "bless me and enlarge my territory...And God granted his request. 1 Chronicles 4:10

The benevolent man helps others establish themselves as he wants to establish himself; he helps other achieve as he wants to achieve. Benevolence begins with shifting ones view from self to others. Confucius Analects 6.30 夫仁者，已欲立而立人，已欲达而达人. 能近取譬，可谓仁之方也已。

The highly marketed "Prayer of Jabez" has been touted almost like a magical Christian mantra. There are Jabez books, videos, audio tapes, coffee mugs, wall plaques and scrolls, bracelets, prayer shawls, wedding rings, bumper stickers and license-plate frames--and they all carry the same message: "Pray this prayer daily and God will (must) grant your desires as he did Jabez." This reminds me of the man who stood in his yard and yelled to the heavens, like a cop cornering a criminal, "All right God. We know you're up there. Come out with your blessings up!"

There is no doubt that our Heavenly Father does want to bless us, even as we want to bless our own children. Christ himself said that if earthly fathers give good things to their children, how much more will their Heavenly Father give to those who ask? But even as we earthly parents learn the danger of giving our children too much too fast, so our Father knows to exercise restraint, and to give us only what we have shown ourselves ready to receive.

Legal Precedent? Those who recite the "Jabez Prayer" as if it were legal precedent to be used against God should read the fine print in the preceding verse (which is seldom put on the Jabez mugs, wall hangings, key chains). 1 Chron. 4:9 begins with, "Jabez was more honorable than his brothers."

God did not bless Jabez simply because he asked but also because he was "more honorable" than those around him. In other words, he had already proven himself, to both God and man, before God "enlarged" his territory.

Jesus said that is we are faithful with small things, we'll be given greater things; if we can't handle small things, we'll never be given greater things. If you're just starting out in life, you may think you have little to work with, but even those on the lowest rung of the ladder can exercise their honor and integrity in their relationships with God and other people--as Jabez did.

Confucius said, in effect, "If you want success, make others successful." Confucius spoke of this as a worldly principle, not a spiritual law, but however you look at it, it works because that is the way our Father created the world. But if we do believe that there are not only laws of life but also a Lawgiver, then the rules of honor and benevolence become now just laws but promises. And we do not need to manipulate God's promises because our Father wants to honor them--but only when (and if) we're ready.

The CEO's Search No successful CEO of a company can afford to waste good talent. He continually seeks to "enlarge the territory" of those who can handle it because talent, integrity and dedication are rare. In the same way, our Heavenly Father wants to bless us, even as he did Jabez or countless others. But Jabez proved himself honorable even before he prayed for blessings.

Don't just pray for success. Put your hand to the plow and be wise and faithful stewards of what you already have. Jesus said that if we want to lead, we must first learn to serve, so put others first. And then trust our Heavenly Father, who promised that "the last shall be first."

(By the way, when He said "the last shall be first," He wasn't speaking of those who are last because they're lazy, but those who are last because they actively put others first!).
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