A father was called into school to the principal''s office. Apparently his son had shoved a chalkboard eraser in the mouth of one of his classmates. When the principal told the boy''s father of his infraction, the father was furious. He turned to his son and demanded an answer: "What reason could you have possibly had to put a chalkboard eraser in that girl''s mouth?"

 

The boy meekly answered, "Because her mouth was open." (1) Today we examine the 4th and final petition of the Prayer of Jabez: "and that you would keep me from evil that I may not cause pain." It is ironic, isn't it? His name is pain and he prays that he might not cause pain. It is as if he is praying, My name is Jabez. Please don''t let me jabez anyone else. 

 

We first learned that Jabez began life under challenging circ…