Re:Verse reading–1 Samuel 25:1-34 (day five) I often ask this question to help find meaning and application in scripture, “Is there and example for me to avoid or follow?” In this passage, David provides both. His reaction to Nabal’s insult is highly emotional. David has quickly forgotten the lesson he learned and taught his soldiers in chapter 24 (the provision and sovereignty of God). We should respond not react to unkindness and lack of respect. However, David gets it right just a few verses later. He is willing to listen and learn from Abigail. He is teachable, approachable, and hears the Lord in her humble plea. May we listen for the Lord in the words of others. May we recognize that the Lord will use the counsel and perspective of those around us to help us hear His voice and will.
God is at work and will use wise, discerning and humble women to respond to angry and self-destructive folks. I found this story of David, Napal and Abigail fascinating. Abigail’s humble and discerning behavior transformed David’s thoughts of killing Napal and his household. Faced between life and death, Abigail took swift actions to plea David and save Napal and his entire household. She seemed to understand the personality of David and was able to satisfy his needs and expectations.
Through Abigail’s story, I found her the woman of great practical insight and good knowledge of how to survive in an emotional and egotistical war. She was able to redirect David from committing sin and to the path of patience and peace. She knew when to speak and when to be silent when dealing with men with temperament. She treated David and his men with kindness. God used Abigail to show us the power of humility, of honor and respect for others whose personality might be different from us.
There are wise counselors whom God are using to help us turn from potentially self-destruction to personal victory. God will use these wise and Godly people to help us hear His voice and His will. We just need listen and to recognize that God is at work and is present. God was behind Abigail’s wise and determined actions toward David and Napal. Surely, God was at work in the story of Abigail, Napal and David. David listened to Abigail’s wise counsel and it was quite a transformation. I am convinced a wise counselor God chooses to use for intervention can help transform our thoughts and actions to ones that have the mind of Christ.
Abigail is a model of kindness, humility, peace and wisdom. She is a great example for us all. She provides us with an example of how to turn enemies to allies, how to manage personality conflicts, and how to create a win-win situation for all parties. We all can learn from David as well by recognizing wise counsel God is using to avoid committing sinful acts.
Sorry for my misspelling of name. It is Nabal, not Napal as written.