Week 27: Put your God-given faculties to good use

Abigail acted quickly. (1 Sam.25:18 NIV)

This is what is expected of an intelligent woman (v.3) when trouble brews. There used to be a sound and light show in Delhi’s Red Fort on the theme of Moghul invasion. The presiding king in Delhi didn’t take the news seriously. Even when his men in distant territories reported the rumbling sound of horses in motion and army marching in step, he was lackadaisical; he took another sip of wine from his cup and drawled, “Delhi dhoor hi” (Delhi is far). It wasn’t a happy end for the comatose king.

How do you respond to news that may have implications of life and death? Are you careless, or are you farsighted?

Nabal was egregiously negative when David sent his messengers for some aid. Note his words: “¹⁰ Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. ¹¹ Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?”

Wisdom does not always go with wealth. One would think that such a big man owning a huge cattle ranch would be abreast with contemporary history of Israel and act with a certain gumption. That he would have heard of how the young lad David slew the mighty Goliath and cut off his head. Indeed, it must said that he didn’t seem completely ignorant of the goings on. We can deduct this from his sarcastic remark about ” many servants breaking away from their masters “

Yet he made those remarks in an airy-fairy manner without any ballast of thought. He failed to weigh his words.

If he had taken the trouble to check with his servants, they would have put him au fait of David’s good deeds. But in the words of one of his own servants “He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him.” (v.17).

Can people talk to you – caution, counsel, encourage?

Nabal came out as an abject ingrate. He wore his surliness and meanness on his sleeve. David’s anger was kindled.

Wife and husband were as different from each other as cheese is from chalk. Abigail had sense, and she comprehended the situation in all its depth.

After placating David with a gift of comestibles, she launched into a word of prophecy about David’s future. At the same time took care to guard her household. And she does this in some style:

³⁰ When the Lord has fulfilled for my lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler over Israel, ³¹ my lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord your God has brought my lord success, remember your servant.”

David was impressed. ³⁵ Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted your request.”

The denouement of this remarkable story is quite spicy. God strikes Nabal and he dies. Romance has meanwhile budded between Abigail and David. Being a man of action, David loses no time in making her his wife.

Let us sublimate an earlier question and ask ourselves “How do we respond to news that may have implications of eternal life and death? ”

Psalm 2 is instructive in this context. “Serve the Lord …………….¹² Kiss his son, or he will be angry………………..
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”

In differentiating us from the rest of created beings, God has given us a measure of wisdom, a modicum of understanding. Let us use these faculties like Abigail did. If things are not evident at first, delve deep. Note what David writes later in Psalm 19: “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.”

Indeed. Also check out what the prophet Micah (Micah 6:8) has to say: “O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”