(READ 1 Sam 25:2-42)
BACKGROUND STORY
David and his men who are living in the wilderness, have been protecting Nabal’s sheep and cattle ‘gratis’, free of charge. When a feast day comes around David sends his men to Nabal requesting a few sheep to roast and eat during the feast.
Nabal refuses the request by saying that David is a run away slave and sends his men away empty handed. Upon hearing Nabal’s refusal David becomes very angry and gathers his men to return and kill Nabal and all his house.
One of Nabal’s servants hears about David’s intent and tells Abigail, Nabal’s wife. Abigail takes prompt action and by great wisdom saves Nabal and all his house.
Let’s take a closer look at how the story pans out -
Nabal & Abigail: Nabal’s name means foolish, stupid and senseless, and as his name, so was his behavior (1 Sam 25:3,25), whereas Abigail was a woman of wisdom (1 Sam 25:3,33). Foolishness and wisdom are opposites, and their story is a picture of the Book of Proverbs which so often portrays the difference between the two.
Prov 10:23 A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man of understanding delights in wisdom. (NIV)
Prov 12:15 The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice. (NIV)
Prov 14:1 The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. (NIV)
Let’s look at some points in this story that reveal these two words of foolishness and wisdom:
Point 1: One of the servants of the household came and told Abigail about Nabal’s rejection of David and how David was on his way to destroy them all, and asked Abigail to do something because they couldn’t reason with Nabal (1 Sam 25:17).
Here we have one man (the servant), who can approach Abigail but can’t approach Nabal. He says that Nabal is a man that can’t be reasoned with
We have a tendency to think that wisdom is having knowledge, and the ability to put that knowledge into action. It is. But it is much more than that. In Jam 3:17 we see that true wisdom has at least 8 characteristics, one of which is, ‘easy to be intreated’ or ‘willing to yield to reason’. This is what being approachable means.
James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. (KJV)
Abigail allowed the servant to speak to her, she was approachable. Nabal was unapproachable, he wasn’t willing to yield to reason.
Question: Which one are you? Reasonable or Unreasonable?
When you are spoken to, challenged or questioned, how do you respond. Are you defensive, stubborn, evasive. Do you blame-shift, become angry, make excuses, tell lies. Any one of these characteristics makes us unreasonable, and like Nabal, people will ignore or work around us.
if any of the above applies to you and you’ve sought to change your behaviour but it always ends in defeat, hopelessness, shame, guilt and condemnation. Be encouraged! There is a way to victory and freedom from your weakness, and His name is Jesus Christ.
He is, ‘the wisdom from above’ (Jam 3:17). He is Christ, ‘in us’ (Col 1:27). Only Jesus can change our behaviour, turn our failure into victory and our weakness to strength.
Question: How is this possible? The answer is to give our weakness to Jesus and leave it with Him (Mt 11:28-30). After giving it to Him, we must then rest in Him until He brings the inward change we are looking for.
Question: What happens if i take back my problem and start worrying about it. The answer is to give it back to Jesus and keep giving it back to Him until you can leave it with Him.
Question :What happens if I repeat my behaviour. The answer is to receive His forgiveness, throw off all guilt and condemnation and return to the place of peace and rest. Remind yourself that only Jesus can change you and He is in the process of doing just that. Thank and praise him for the changes He is making in your life.
He will make good on His promise, but we must give Him time!
Meditation Point: Seeking to change ourselves by our own strength and will power only results in ‘behaviour modification’.True change is inward change from within. Only Jesus by His grace can make such changes.
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