Lessons from Abigail

Right application only flows out of right understanding. Studying the scripture is meant to help us understand who God is and build upon the relationship we have with Him.

From 1 Samuel 25:1, we are told that the Prophet Samuel had died and had been buried after which David continued to the wilderness of Paran.

SAMUEL: A prophet of God who had lived out his purpose based on a covenant his mother had entered with God. Had anointed David as King of Israel and served as a spiritual covering over him.

SAUL: He was still King. God had taken His anointing from him because of Saul’s disobedience. Saul’s jealousy for David had grown and he had attempted to kill David several times already.

DAVID: We know from previous scripture how David had been anointed by Samuel as King upon God’s instruction. A man of faith and courage who obeyed the Lord. Had defeated Goliath. David is on the run from the anger of Saul.

NABAL: Described as a harsh and evil man; ill/ badly behaved. However the scripture also makes us understand that he was a wealthy man. (1 Samuel 25:2-3)

ABIGAIL: She was discerning and beautiful, a woman of grace and she was Nabal’s wife. (1 Samuel 25:2-3)

From 1 Samuel 25:4-9, David, based on a previous encounter with Nabal and his men sent his servants with a request to source food for their sustenance. He assumed that he had previously been of help to Nabal’s men so it was only right for Nabal to return the favour. Notice that scripture also informs us that it was a festive season and David was well aware that Nabal had provision to be of assistance.

However, verses 10-11 reveal not just Nabal’s response but also gives us a glimpse of the state of his heart. He arrogantly questions who David is and selfishly declines any help towards him. From verse 3, we know that Nabal is of the house of Caleb of the tribe of Judah from which we may infer that himself and David were kinsmen (David was also of the tribe of Judah). So why deny a kinsman help and pretend not to know who he was/ question his existence?

Could it be that Nabal was trying to act politically correct so as not to offend Saul, the reigning King and also an archenemy of David the anointed one?

We see in verse 12-13 how Nabal vexed David with his response and attitude and David immediately girded his team to retaliate.

But what occurs from verse 14 through to verse 35 is the turnaround of this story because of Abigail. What can God do with a woman like Abigail who decides to be a woman of discernment, grace and beauty? God goes on to save Nabal and the men of his household through her (verses 32-35).

The two major lessons we learn from Abigail are:

1. How to deal with difficult people (How to respond differently to the difficult people in our lives)

After Nabal’s harsh response, David also towed the same line by arming his men to retaliate. Abigail based off of her experience and knowledge on how to manage difficult people chose the peaceful approach to correct the situation.

“A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1 NKJV

What did Abigail do?

• a. She listened (vs 14-17).
• b. She acted promptly (vs 18).
• c. She diffused the situation (vs 23-27).
• d. She sought an eternal perspective (28-31).
• e. She trusted God to fix the situation (vs 36-38).

Essentially, whereas Nabal blatantly ignored, Abigail acknowledged and honoured the anointing upon David’s life which influenced the line of actions as stated above.

2. How to avoid being difficult people ourselves.

Avoid responding like Nabal. We may ask ourselves the following questions:

• ⁃ Am I sometimes impossible to deal with?
• ⁃ What are the things that make me hard to deal with?
• ⁃ Are people not honest with me for fear that I will blow up or take it the wrong way?
• ⁃ Do I answer roughly or graciously?

“Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Matthew 12:34 NKJV

Instead of asking God to fix our mouth, we should ask God to fix our heart. If we are convicted we must embrace it because it brings out the Christ-likeness in us when we seek to be more like Christ. Don’t reject, suppress or dismiss that conviction. We must allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us so that we can extend that grace to others as well.

With Love, Esinam.