1 Chronicles 4:
1 The descendants of Judah:

Perez, Hezron, Karmi, Hur and Shobal…

7 The sons of Helah:

Zereth, Zohar, Ethnan, 8 and Koz, who was the father of Anub and Hazzobebah and of the clans of Aharhel son of Harum.

9 Jabez was more honourable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez saying, ‘I gave birth to him in pain.’ 10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request.

11 Kelub, Shuhah’s brother, was the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. 12 Eshton was the father of Beth Rapha, Paseah and Tehinnah the father of Ir Nahash. These were the men of Rekah…
 
Buried in the list
Our main text here is verses 9 and 10, but I’ve shown a few others above to give you a feel of what the rest of the chapter is like. You know what it’s like when you’re diligently disciplining yourself to read the whole bible through and you get to one of these chapters that are just a list of names. Yet, in this case the writer chose to break from the monotony and comment on Jabez. Jabez stood out from all the other people in the list. I’m sure there were some good people in that list, some who did great things, some who were remembered for a long time. But why did the Holy Spirit inspire the author to elaborate on Jabez? What was it about him that deserved this out-of-the-ordinary added information? There must be something important we can learn from him.

Here are some suggestions:

 
1: Labelling
Jabez was labelled from the start. He was called by a name that sounds like the Hebrew for ‘pain’ because giving birth had caused his mother so much pain. I don’t know what you’d say to his mum if you had the chance, but if I were there, I’d be questioning her wisdom. Yes, the birth was painful, and I cannot imagine what that was like. But for that moment, for your pain, to be put on your child for the rest of his life? Is that really fair? He’ll probably outlive you and any pain in your life will be forgotten. But he will still be called Jabez.

Jabez was a pain from the start, but he did not let that stop him asking for God to bless him. And it did not stop God from blessing him. Whatever start you’ve had in life, whatever people have said over you, however small you’ve been made to feel, even if you feel like your existence is more harmful than useful, God has other ideas. Don’t live the rest of your life by the labels someone else gave you. Even if they were an authority figure.

Craig Groeschel leads possibly the largest church in America. It started in 1996 and now has over 30 locations with around 100,000 people in attendance on weekends. At bible college he was in a class of 40 students. 39 were ordained at the end of the course, but Craig was not. His denomination believed his methods and style were too unorthodox. He was labelled as different. To many he was a ‘pain’. But perhaps the very thing others saw as a problem was something God had put in him for a purpose. Don’t let an external label deter you from being all that God has called you by name to be.

This series of talks is about prayer. When you pray, do not let the labels of the past stop you praying audacious, heart-felt prayers. Jesus encouraged it, and you should just go for it! God certainly won’t let someone else’s label for you deafen his ear to your prayers.

 
2:  Honour
Jabez was more honourable than his brothers (v9)

I guess this is how Jabez stood out to God amongst this list of his family members. Amongst them he was more honourable. The word used here also means ‘respected’. This means that his life was honourable in a way that was recognizable to others.

I believe this is one of the key components of effective prayer. The prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective. Yes, God hears our prayers however messed up we are. And yes,

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