One insight I had tonight for the first time while writing the previous 'Daily Bread' post was how underwhelming Jabez' resume reads. Granted, everybody else just got the son, father, brother names, and few women are ever named at all; but still...usually when the biblical authors are highlighting someone like David or Moses, we see their flaws, but they also get some accolades. Jazeb was simply "more honorable than his brothers". Not even "honorable". Just more honorable than his brothers. Not to mention that it sounds like his birth was so hard on his mom, she used it in his name.
I find this oddly reassuring. It wasn't because of who Jabez was, particularly, that led to God answering his prayers, but who God was that lead to answered prayers.