The case for Jabez

Christian Century, Nov 20, 2002 by Patricia Hunt

RODNEY CLAPP and John Wright's analysis of the Jabez prayer ("God as Santa," Oct. 23-Nov. 5) is interesting, but more interesting to me is the reason for its popularity. It is too easy to say people just want to be prosperous and happy, even though they do want those things. Segments of the Christian church have been so frightened of cheap grace that they make it seem that God is never so happy as when the followers of Jesus are persecuted, impoverished and miserable. In some circles even to desire happiness is evidence of sinful narcissism and shallowness. If some churches are all Easter, others seem to be all Good Friday. "Blessed are you when you are persecuted ..."

Life is terrifying enough without believing that God is busy thinking up ways for us to experience even more misery because, doggone it, it is good for us, salvific and Jesus did it. So people jump at the chance to believe that God might actually want them to be happy and would work toward that end.

Patricia Hunt
Staunton, Va.