Through our imperfect knowledge, we Christians strive to understand the mysteries of God and the way that He works in our lives. From our personal Bible study and from the sermons that we hear, we have formulated a basic faith. . . that God exists, that He works in our lives through the Holy Spirit, that He sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins, and that through acceptance of His sacrifice, baptism, and a desire to live as God intends, we find salvation. We believe strongly that evil exists in the world, fomented by Satan, and that there is a very real Heaven to gain and a horrific Hell to avoid.
But from time to time, individuals are struck by a verse here or there in the Bible that seems to reveal to them a new look at the Christian walk that they enthusiastically share with others. Sometimes these ideas become inflated so that they become almost dogma, twisted into a flawed map for Christian behavior. Let’s take a look at one of these.
The first revolves around the prayer of Jabez and instituted a doctrine of prosperity that swept Christianity a few years back and still influences many. Jabez was an Old Testament man mentioned only three times in the book of 1 Chronicles. He was a godly man “more honorable than his brothers” (1 Chronicles 4:9). In verse 10 of that chapter we read, “Now, Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, ‘Oh, Lord, bless me indeed and expand my territory. Keep Your hand on me, and keep evil from me, that I may not cause pain!’ And God granted him what he requested.”
This was a perfectly acceptable prayer by a man of God, a prayer that God answered by granting him prosperity. But Jabez did not only pray for prosperity, but that God would keep His hand on him, guiding him away from evil so that he (Jabez) would not cause pain to others. Some individuals simply overlook this portion of his prayer and focus on the fact that Jabez prayed for blessing from God and God blessed Him. They then extrapolate from this single prayer, the dogma that God intends his people to be prosperous and that we only need to pray for prosperity and God will give it to us. To be overly simplistic, this becomes like a vending machine. Every time you put in your money, out comes a treat. Every time you pray for prosperity, here comes the money from God.
If God worked like that, there would be no poor Christians. We would be the richest people on the face of the earth and none of us would ever suffer deprivation, sickness, or poverty. But that is not reality. Nor is it fair or correct to suggest that those Christians who are less well off are so because they are somehow less righteous than others, although that is the interpretation that has too often arisen out of this movement. But then, doesn’t God wish for us to prosper? God loves us, so much that He gave His Son as the sacrifice for our sins. But like an earthly father, He does not give His children everything they ask for. Sometimes the answer to our prayers is a simple “no” because what we ask for would not be good for us or is not in His perfect plan for our lives.
Although God intervenes from time to time in the world and in our lives, in large part He allows life to simply play out as it will. Remember that on the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave these words to His listeners: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:44-45). Asaph the psalmist writes of envying the wicked when they seemed to prosper more than the righteous. In Psalm 73 he wrote:
Truly God is good to Israel,
To such as are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
My steps had nearly slipped.
For I was envious of the boastful,
When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
For there are no pangs in their death,
But their strength is firm.
They are not in trouble as other men,
Nor are they plagued like other men.
Therefore pride serves as their necklace;
Violence covers them like a garment.
Their eyes bulge[a] with abundance;
They have more than heart could wish. (verses 1-7)
Obviously, even in Old Testament days, many non-believers prospered more than the righteous. But why would this be so? Practically speaking, circumstances of birth provide some believers with more opportunities or more natural abilities that others. It would be foolish to believe that an uneducated believer would be able to earn more than someone with a degree in medicine. Yet the very tenor of the prosperity message seemed to suggest that a righteous man who prayed fervently would become prosperous, even wealthy, if he were righteous enough. So those whose prosperity extended only to paying the bills and feeding their families seemed to be spiritual failures.
Paul also assures us in Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” All our need, not all our wants. Earlier in that same chapter, Paul gives us the example of what our attitudes should really be towards prosperity when he says: “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11-13).
Obviously Paul’s life was not one of bountiful prosperity. He did not ride from city to city on his missionary journeys astride a horse and accompanied by a multitude of servants. He walked. He slept rough. He worked as a tent maker to fund his journeys. Yet, he was content, for he was confident that God would supply his needs and give him the strength to persevere through the tough times.
God does in fact shower us with blessings according to His will for our lives. If we are healthy, if we love and are loved, if we are not destitute. . . it is through God’s blessings on our lives. And when we suffer, we must remember what Paul wrote to the Romans. “. . .but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (verses 3-5).
It is not wrong to pray for prosperity, but we must remember that God’s idea of prosperity for us may be different from our own. In 3 John 2 we read, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” It is the prosperity of our souls that is most important to God and should be most important to us. Let us lay aside thoughts of monetary gain and center our prayers on the prosperity of our souls.
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:31-33).