Jabez Causes Pain After All

Letters, we got letters—and e-mails, even a few faxes.

the Leadership editors

Our panel discussion on congregational interest in The Prayer of Jabez prompted lots of response (Summer 2001, "Have you read Jabez yet?"). "You dropped the ball," one reader wrote. "Where was the balance?" another asked. (Our report on the phenomenal sales of Bruce Wilkinson's book included churches conducting Jabez Bible studies.)

Here is a sampling of your comments.

I served on the faculty of Multnomah Bible College with Bruce when he first delivered this message to the student body. As your commentators did, I dismissed the message with the feeling that, given Bruce's personality, he could sell igloos to Eskimos.

The second time I heard it, I responded with the desire to see God use me more effectively and widely for His kingdom. I began to pray the prayer of Jabez and two months later was invited to the Philippines to lead worship there. A student of mine arranged for me to sing at her church in Japan on the way home. Later, as I continued to pray, I was invited to minister in Germany, India, and again in Japan.

This prayer has nothing to do with fads or capitalism, as Dr. Wilkinson points out in the book. "Instead, the Jabez blessing focuses like a laser on our wanting for ourselves nothing more and nothing less than what God wants for us" (p. 24).

Frank Eaton
Sacramento, California

I appreciated Cheryl Sanders's comments on the phrase, "that I may not cause pain." I wondered why Wilkinson didn't develop that point. But I also I remembered the verse differently.

The NIV reads "that I will be free from pain." Other versions agree. Only the NKJV has the focus on not causing pain to others. So it seems to me Wilkinson chose the less selfish version to add to the book's appeal, but was afraid to focus on it since it's a weak translation.

Kathy Callahan-Howell
Cincinnati, Ohio

As a layman, I say "spare me from the theologians." I believe Jabez is an important book for those looking for a little more substance to their prayer life. I did a search of the Bible looking for phrases like "God answered his prayer" or "God granted his request." I found only two such instances. Isaac, when he prayed that Rebekah would become pregnant, and Jabez.

Bob Belden
Colorado Springs, Colorado

While the verse is, as Gunn called it, "an obscure verse from a genealogy," it is nevertheless Scripture. Anything that God honors is worth knowing about.

Chuck Spindler
Creston, Iowa

I agreed with Sanders's statement concerning Wilkinson's leaving off the end of the prayer, "that I might not cause pain," but certainly not her conclusion.

Christianity knows no color restrictions and neither does greed or materialism.

And Mike Gunn forgets that the 4-million-plus readers are lay people who relate more to that level of writing. While it presents a theological view, the book is written primarily to inspire and encourage believers in prayer. I believe it attained that goal.

Craig Hartzog
Parker, Florida

—Andrew Murray (1828-1917)

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