1 Samuel 25:21-27
Verse 25 Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool, and folly goes with him. And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent.
David is fuming. His men have brought back the verbal slap in the face of Nabal and he is taking it quite personal. This rejection wasn’t just about him, he saw the injustice it was to his men. He knew the hours they had put into watching those herdsmen and the sleep that had been lost as they watched during the overnight hours. Nabal was acting like an entitled fool.
David was so mad at the fool, Nabal, that he made a foolish oath himself. He said he hoped God dealt severely with him if not every male in Nabal’s household wasn’t dead by morning. David was so mad he wasn’t even considering the fact that all but one of those men were innocent of the affront. Nabal’s men included those whom he had been willing to protect not long before.
As David was stomping down the mountain in anger he sees some donkeys coming into the ravine, and on one of them was a very beautiful lady. As David got closer, she got down off the animal and bowed low before David. She was face first down at his feet and was begging for the life of the fool he had just been fuming about. Her pleas were quite passionate and he may have had to stop and shift mental gears from anger to confusion at this woman’s actions. Then it starts to settle into his understanding, was she really pleading for the pardon of that horrible Nabal? What would a beautiful lady like her care about an ogre like the mean rich man?
Abigail wisely continues with her plea for her husband’s safety. She isn’t afraid to speak the truth about her wicked husband deserving the future king’s wrath, even stating he lives up to his name. She continues, almost taking responsibility for not seeing David’s men when they came looking for food. She asks for mercy and begs him to take these delicious offerings as way of averting his wrath from Nabal.
Before Abigail gives the gift she points out that as of yet, God has not allowed David to shed blood out of anger. This wise woman understood the character of David and knew that he wasn’t the kind of man who killed rashly.
Making It Personal
Do you make rash decisions when you are angry? Have you ever talked a friend out of doing something out of anger? What is a better way of dealing with anger?
Making It Personal Kids
Do you ever get mad and act in ways that you will later regret? Have you ever tried talking a friend out of doing something when they are mad? How should you handle your anger?
Closing Prayer
Father, we know that anger in and of itself isn’t a sin but more often than we would like to admit we allow it to get the best of us and we do things we later regret. Give us wisdom and wise friends so that we will make better decisions and not sin in our anger. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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