"BLM": Say It Loud!

Scripture:  I Chronicles 4:9-10 - And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying 'Because I bare him with sorrow'.  And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, 'Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!' And God granted him that which he had requested.

Up through and including chapter nine of 'The First Book of the Chronicles' we have, beginning with Adam, the lineage of God's people, mostly highlighting the sons, with the families being recognized by the fathers of those families.  Thereof are many, many names and families listed without much narrative at all.  Despite the enormity of these listings, and despite these lists including the mention of many notable persons that we would recognize as standouts in the faith, none are recognized as special other than being named, not of the kings, the judges, nor the heroes until we pause with Jabez, whose story is limited to only these two verses in the Bible.  These two verses say much with little, but the little says more than what is said of the others in this book. Should any of us have a trim three-sentence summary of our life, wouldn't it be something, that it ended on a note of God's grace? The two verses with three sentences acquaint us with Jabez [who has no identifiable father], his mother [who is unnamed], his brethren [presumed to be his contemporaries], and the God of Israel.  Verse nine is on the horizontal plane, as it relates to Jabez and his experience within humanity. Verse ten is on the vertical plane, sharing the experience of Jabez personally with the God of Israel.

His beginnings are woeful, though we know not what that means, except that his mother either for surrounding circumstances, or her baby's condition, found life lacking something, and applied it to his name.  Maybe it is the absence of her husband [if wed] or the absence of the father of Jabez that brings this grief. Nonetheless, despite these disadvantages, or perhaps more gravely, these struggles, Jabez outshines his peers as honorable. That which is stated in the bible as honorable is logically related to being biblically spiritual.  We might say that BIBLICAL LIVING MATTERS! We can likely and reasonably conclude that our old testament friend showed the new testament fruit of the Spirit in his walk: 'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such, there is no law.' [Galatians 5:22,23]  With God, he took bitter, and did better.

Even though the start was troubling, and the season difficult, perhaps tortuous, Jabez had a mother with him, and God, whose presence he could know and feel. One can only imagine the manner of love that guided him to be 'honorable'. Reasonably he saw the sacrifices of his mother for his sake, and perhaps knew this as part of God's provision for his life! We might say that BIBLICAL LOVING MATTERS, and when it is love which leads, might we also say BIBLICAL LEADERSHIP MATTERS.

So, we wouldn't be surprised to find a person having the trouble of lacking an involved father, or an unsupportive circumstance, or a lamenting parent to drift towards a hardened heart. Jabez however chose and kept choosing the high road. Being an exceedingly virtuous man, we can imagine the normal, natural reaction within his community to include envy on the part of some, and how that might play out with injustice and prejudice, subtle or flagrant. Yet, with freedom, where it counts the most, he elected to live right, no matter what.  BIBLICAL LIBERTY MATTERS. So 'The just shall live by faith... Stand fast therefore in the liberty, wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.' [Galatians 3:11b,and 5:1]

It would have been easy to be carnal, or compromising, but Jabez chose from blessing towards blessing, praying to God for abundance relationally and materially [v.10], praying to be kept from evil as God only can- for shelter, insulation, capability, and vision. He prayed for a God-fixed hope. 'God granted him that which he requested.'

We cannot know if his was a short life, taking him to heaven soon, or a sanctified long life, but we can expect that with the anointing of God transfiguring his heart and mind towards good, even sacred choices, his legacy, not stated with detail, must have blessed history yet made. BIBLICAL LEGACY MATTERS.  Hereof, we too are blessed to be a blessing, and like Jesus and with His leading, may we stand as color-blind, age-blind, gender-blind, and bible-centered, as we are permitted of His grace and mercy. In this may we all joy!

Prayer:  There are none righteous, no not one, and yet we are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  For as many as have been baptized into Christ, so many have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus! [borrowed from Galatians 3:26--28] And perfect and perfecting liberty is beautifully colorful, across the entire spectrum, as God has granted. Indeed, all Black lives matter, within the matter of all lives mattering.  Lord thank You for this life, just as you have predestined it. Please direct me toward unity in my thinking and doing, the work of reconciliation, the pursuit of truth, and in all mattering charity, as You have been charitable toward me, I pray, with all hope in Jesus' name. Amen.

(by Dr. McNeal Brockington)