Abigail’s Wisdom
“David said to Abigail; ‘Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to blood shed and from avenging myself with my own hand’” (1 Sam. 25:32-33).
Abigail’s husband, Nabal, was a first-class jerk. When David and his men arrived near Nabal and Abigail’s home, they had been fighting a war for a long time, and they were hungry. David’s men asked for something to eat but Nabal wasn’t gracious. He wasn’t going to share anything with them. In fact, he didn’t even meet the minimum standard of hospitality to provide for strangers. He coldly dismissed the men, who soon reported the rebuke to David (1 Sam. 25:3-13).
David had shown remarkable restraint when King Saul had mistreated him, but restraint went out the window this time. David and his men headed to Nabal’s house with only thing in mind: revenge. Abigail heard they were coming and realized the encounter would bring bloodshed that ultimately would harm David’s reputation. She loaded up some donkeys with food and intercepted David before he reached the house. When she gave him the food, she also humbly gave David advice to avoid killing her husband (1 Sam. 25:24-31).
David listened to what Abigail told him. He and his men left with the food. Sometime later, Nabal died, then David sent for Abigail, and the two were married.
When we find ourselves in difficult circumstances or relationships, we may want to resolve the problem ourselves. What we really need to do is to trust God and act wisely. Abigail didn’t kill her husband but instead covered for him. When David wanted to kill him, she stepped in between the two of them. God rewarded her integrity and wisdom. He will reward us too. When we want to take things into our own hands, we need to step back, stop, and trust in God. Know that sooner or later, our time is coming.
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