Dare to be Great

“And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain.’ So God granted him what he requested.”     - 1 Chronicles 4:10

Is there a desire in your life to be great? Oftentimes, I’ll hear men and women talk about their goals, their aspirations, and their drivenness. And you might say to yourself, “Well, does the Bible have anything to say about that?” Jabez dared to be great. His story is tucked away in the middle of a long genealogy in 1 Chronicles 4. It’s almost as if the writer pauses for a moment, saying, “Wait a minute, I have to tell you something about this man.”

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, but his mother named him Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” His name literally meant pain. Imagine naming your child pain. “Pain, get over here!” It could’ve been because of his mother’s experience in childbirth or something else, but whatever it was, Jabez lived with that label. Yet, he didn’t let his name or his circumstances define his future.

Jabez called on the God of Israel and prayed, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed.” In Hebrew, that word “indeed” is like five exclamation marks. Jabez wasn’t asking for a casual blessing. He was crying out for God’s favor to overflow in his life. He prayed for God to enlarge his territory - not just land, but his influence and the opportunities in his life.

This reminds me of Caleb, who at 85 years old looked at a mountain full of giants and said, “Give me this mountain.” Caleb wasn’t content with mediocrity. He wanted to achieve something great for God. Similarly, Jabez prayed for God’s hand to be with him. He knew he couldn’t accomplish anything of eternal value without God’s guidance. Lastly, Jabez prayed, “Keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain.” He didn’t want to dishonor God or hurt others.

The result? “So God granted him what he requested.” God answered Jabez’s bold prayer. This shows us that it’s okay to dream big and ask for great things if our motives are right. It reminds me of Psalm 37:4: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” When we put God first, He plants His desires in us.

Reflection Question: Are you daring to pray bold prayers, trusting that God can use you for something great?

“Dear God, thank You for the example of Jabez. Help me to trust You with the dreams and desires You’ve placed in my heart. Bless me indeed, enlarge my territory, let Your hand guide me, and protect me from evil so I may not cause pain. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”