Corona Devo 655

A tale of two reactions.

The cause and effect of two different responses.

Living in kindness and humility...or dying in selfishness and spite?

Am I talking about our responses at family gatherings/work/relationships or a married couple 2,000 years ago?

Both.

I feel the Bible applying Nabal and Abigail (husband and wife) to you and me and the reactions we choose.

Nabal's heart was mean and his spirit was critical, which are a lethal concoction when mixed. I know because that poisonous venom has spewed from my lips and heart, and maybe yours too.

In contrast, Abigail's heart was wise and kind, and her love for others ran deep. She accepted the truth ("Nabal is a wicked and ill-tempered man... ~I Samuel 25:25) but did not assume that she "knew" the truth of others and their situations, because how can we?

~~~~~

David had recently crossed (sheep herding) paths with Nabal and his (3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats) flocks (I Samuel 25:2). And while together, David and his men had been very good to us (said one of Nabal's men), and we never suffered any harm from them. Nothing was stolen from us the whole time they were with us. (16) In fact, day and night they were like a wall of protection to us and the sheep. (I Samuel 25:15-16).

But when David (politely) reached out to Nabal via letter at sheep-shearing (a time of celebration) asking Nabal to share any provisions you might have on hand (I Samuel 25:8), Nabal's selfishness, assumptions and (downright) meanness spilled out with his words: “Who is this fellow David?” Nabal sneered to the young men. “Who does this son of Jesse think he is? There are lots of servants these days who run away from their masters. (11) Should I take my bread and my water and my meat that I’ve slaughtered for my shearers and give it to a band of outlaws who come from who knows where?” ~I Samuel 25:10-11.

Have we ever been attacked when we haven't even done wrong? David had actually protected Nabal's flock, and David wasn't an "outlaw", he was fleeing King Saul, who was trying to kill him for no valid reason (only envy).

Nabal did not know the whole story of David, and the skewed version he spouted off about was completely incorrect.

All Knowing Father, forgive us. I "hear" You speaking this sentence right into our hearts, Lord. We too, have spouted off to others about their situations and choices when we have no idea what they've been through or are going through. May we be chastened by Your examples in Scripture, whose reflections of us are no coincidence today. Amen.

When David got wind of Nabal's hot-air response...He was hot. He was mad. And David told about 400 men to “Get your swords!”...as he strapped on his own (I Samuel 25:13).

Our unfeeling, critical, insensitive responses will anger others too. And while there is a time and place for working things out (loving thy neighbor) and settling differences, have you noticed that much of the time we are not interested in seeking unity at all, we simply want our entitled opinion known. But injury comes from words without thought or care, and odds are we have paid the price (or damaged relationships) by "being a Nabal".

But the Lord gives us a Godly example of response and reaction in this story (and for our "stories") too. Her name is Abigail, and she was a sensible and beautiful woman (I Samuel 25:3). Her servants knew what kind of man Nabal was, and they also knew what kind of woman she was, and so after he blew up...they came to her for resolution: "You need to know this and figure out what to do, for there is going to be trouble for our master and his whole family. He’s so ill-tempered that no one can even talk to him!” (I Samuel 25:17).

In peace, wisdom, kindness, and intelligence, Abigail knew how to respond.

Father, may our responses be filtered through You, and may we speak and react in peace, wisdom, kindness, and intelligence as we interact with others whom You love and have created for a purpose, just like us. Amen.

Abigail wasted no time. She quickly gathered 200 loaves of bread, two wineskins full of wine, five sheep that had been slaughtered, nearly a bushel of roasted grain, 100 clusters of raisins, and 200 fig cakes. She packed them on donkeys... ~I Samuel 25:18

Abigail approached David with gifts of food, words of kindness, and a reminder that vengeance is the Lord's.

David "heard" her, because she spoke in truth and love, and not in spite and anger. (This is our only avenue of being "heard" by others too. Have we noticed?)

David promised not to kill Nabal, and (as Abigail advised) it wasn't necessary anyway. Within days, Nabal had a stroke, and he lay paralyzed on his bed like a stone. (38) About ten days later, the Lord struck him, and he died. (I Samuel 25:7-38).

And if we are looking for a happy ending (and who isn't?), things worked out for Abigail (and David!) too. When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise the Lord, who has avenged the insult I received from Nabal and has kept me from doing it myself...Then David sent messengers to Abigail to ask her to become his wife.

(41) She bowed low to the ground and responded, “I, your servant, would be happy to marry David...And so she became his wife.  ~I Samuel 25:39, 41

Abigail knew David was a leader, she knew he had slain Goliath with a stone, and she knew he was a man of God, and so she spoke to him in respect and truth, and because of this: he listened, and his plans changed course, which blessed Abigail in the end.

If we seek authentic relationship with others and live and speak in (as much) Godly truth and love as we can, God will take care of the rest.

Nabal's name means "fool", and when we speak and respond in rashness and anger, it's what we are too.

I appreciate (and require!) God's Biblical reminder today for our words and hearts to be sensible and beautiful.

Blessings, 

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com