Honorable like Jabez

Picture courtesy: faithward.org

1 Chronicles 4:9-10

⁹ Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez,^[a] 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.

This morning as I was reading the verses in 1 Chronicles 4 about Jabez, the Holy Spirit put a different perspective in my head on the life of Jabez.

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mom said she gave birth to him in pain.

Now sit with me for a moment to absorb this. Imagine his own mother claimed she gave birth to him in pain. He brought her distress. He did not bring her joy. He reminded her of suffering. When she saw him, she saw pain! Despite this, Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. We do not know about his brothers but apparently they did not bring pain as Jabez did to his mother. Jabez could have felt resentment towards her because she equated him with pain. But he did not. He was honorable.In fact even MORE honorable than his siblings who did not bring pain to her as much as he apparently did.

Now the King James Bible dictionary defines honorable as the following:

1. Possessing a high mind; actuated by principles of honor, or a scrupulous regard to probity, rectitude or reputation.

3. Procured by noble deeds

4. It is not honorable to oppress the weak, or to insult the vanquished.

5. Respected; worthy of respect; regarded with esteem.

6. Proceeding from an upright and laudable cause, not reproachful

8. Not to be disgraced.

9. Honest; without hypocrisy or deceit; fair.

Jabez did not insult his mother, treat her with disdain, with deceit, unfairly, or insult her because she said he caused pain.

Jabez treated her with honor, in fact more honor than his brothers did.

As I reflected on this passage, my thoughts wander today to my own life: how do I treat those who cause me pain? What do I do as a response to those who are not exactly honorable to me? Do I treat them poorly because they deserve that for treating me poorly? Or do I show honor and respect and esteem them higher than myself despite the paint hey cause me? Do I treat them as objects worthy of respect despite how dishonorably they have behaved towards me? Do I treat them fairly even when they have been unfair? Am I deceitful because they have been deceitful?

Jabez was honorable. More honorable than his brothers and here is what he did when he was unjustly treated as an object causing pain.

He cried out to God.

He did not go to relatives to complain. He did not turn to friends to confide and grumble. He did not talk about his mom or accuse her of reminding him he caused her pain.

He went to God and asked God for a few requests that he thought would help him so that he would be free from pain. There were apparently things he did not yet have in his life until then.

1. That You would bless me- Jabez was probably miserable and felt abandoned by God. He probably did not have enough in his life. He probably did not have a great life that was blessed.
2. Enlarge my territory- perhaps Jabez did not have much in terms of finances or property or a distinguished public reputation.
3. Let Your Hand be with me- Jabez knew only God could guide him in this miserable life of pain. He needed God’s Hand of protection, of provision and of favor. He needed God and he acknowledges this to the only One who can change direction in his life.
4. Keep me from harm- Only God could keep Jabez from harm. It would not be his intellect or his plans or his ways to do things. Jabez needed God to protect him. He needed God to preserve him from harm, from difficulties. He needed God to safeguard him when challenges overwhelmed him. Only God could keep him from harm. Jabez could not and would not be able to do that. It takes humility to take such a posture before God. Jabez did that.

Jabez asked God to intervene in the very areas that he felt pain. For he acknowledges that only when God would enter into these areas and take control of these areas would he feel no more pain.

I want us to ask ourselves: when a loved one declares we are their source of pain or when they are dishonourable towards us, treat us with disdain, where do we go? Who do we turn to? What do we do?

Jabez was honorable and did not give in to bitterness, hurt or his own devices. He turned to God.

And God heard him and granted his request.

My friends, you may have been treated unfairly, misjudged, treated with disrespect, dishonored by someone close to you. It is easy to show the same level of dishonor or disrespect back to them.

But God wants you and I to live honorable lives. To turn to him with our desires and requests to take away that pain. For only God can take away that pain. No one else can.

Let’s pray.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I choose to be honorable despite the unfairness that I have been dealt with. I chose to show honor to those who have caused me pain. I choose this day to honor You with my words and actions. Help me to bless those who curse, who persecute, who behave in dishonorable ways. Help me not to repay insult for insult. I ask You today God that as I choose this attitude of being honorable that You would bless me, that You would increase my influence and enlarge my territory in every area of my life, that Your Hand of protection, provision and favor would rest upon me and that You will keep me from harm. Lord please grant me my request. In Jesus’ Matchless Name I have asked this, amen.