In 2000, Bruce Wilkins wrote The Prayer of Jabez, which is based on a passage nestled in the middle of the genealogical records of the tribe of Asher. It’s found in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother named him Jabez saying, “Because I bore him with pain.” Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!” And God granted him what he requested.”
The book by Wilkins received quite a bit of scrutiny from many conservative Christians because of the apparent similarity to “prosperity gospel,” which almost suggest God OWES you blessings if you are faithful to Him.
While Ezra, who many believe to be the author of the Chronicles, points out that Jabez’s request was granted by God, it is clear throughout other places in the Bible that God didn’t owe Jabez prosperity, but that He was gracious to him. God’s graciousness is the theme for Jesus’s parable in Matthew 20 where Jesus shares a story of a landowner and the workers he hired for his vineyard. The story focuses on some of the laborers reaction to the grace and mercy of God. Similar to the older son in the story of the Prodigal Son, these workers are shocked to find out that those workers that were hired almost at quitting time received the same pay that they did.
The amount of pay wasn’t the issue, but the fact that those that didn’t work as hard received the same pay as those who did most of the work. Ultimately, this is a story dealing with desire to be recognized for our achievements or even perhaps being regarded as better than others. It’s for this reason that this story is so relevant to our own culture. We live in a time and place where fame and fortune are so valued that it seems there’s a no-holds-barred mentality when it comes to doing whatever it takes in order to be considered the best.
While bettering ourselves is commendable, constantly focusing on being better than someone else reveals a bigger problem within our hearts. Because at the core of the need
to be better than others lies a potential problem of selfishness.
The context of the story Jesus tells in Matthew 20 comes on the heels of
overhearing His disciples arguing over who will be better in the kingdom. Each
wanted to be recognized as someone ultra-special in some way. In His attempt to
help them understand that it’s not about what you have the makes you great in
God’s kingdom or about what you achieve that makes you loved, He
reminds them of His level of commitment to the kingdom. His sacrifice is what
made the kingdom possible. Jesus paid the penalty of our sins on the cross.
Although as we read Philippians 2, it seems clear that He wasn’t doing what He
did to esteem Himself, but instead to esteem God.
Philippians 2:3-7, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of
mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look
out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this
attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed
in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but
emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant…”
Many of the jealousies and quarrels we face stem from a desire to be better
than someone else; instead if we could master what the master modeled by
reflecting on how I can best serve my brothers and sisters we might find a deeper
sense of peace. Paul encourages Christians in Romans 12:10, “Be devoted to one
another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor.”
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