The Life of Jabez

Years ago, when I was a college student, I heard my pastor preach a sermon on "The Man in the Middle."  He talked about this fellow in the midst of a genealogy, who had more detail to his life than any other. He was speaking of Jabez-the first time I had ever heard of him.  I was impressed.  I thought everyone skimmed the genealogies.  A few years later a little book would be written by another preacher that sold like gangbusters called The Prayer of Jabez.  Both were referring to
I Chronicles 4:9-10- Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” ¹⁰ Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked. (www.lifejournal.cc)  (The Prayer of Daniel is that I may write such a small book and sell as many millions of copies one day.)  What I thought was interesting about the book was the focus on the wording of this guy's prayer.  I don't think that is what is so significant.    Although I must admit, the prayer is given in Scripture in the midst of this genealogy for a reason.    However, when Jesus told us how to pray, He did not tell us to pray like Jabez or to pray that God would prosper us.  He told us to pray that God's Will would be done in us and that He would provide our needs. 
I don' think the significance of the man (Jabez) was his prayer.  I believe it was his life.  He stood out.  He came out of painful circumstances (at least for his mother) and there may be more to that name than we actually realize.  God granted his prayer because he honored God, not because of the wording of the prayer.  
Let's be less concerned about the wording of our prayer, and more concerned about our lives honoring God. We will be surprised at how He blesses us.