Abigail: A Woman of Wisdom
Life is full of choices. What do you do when you see someone on the verge of a bad decision? Do you speak up? Or do you mind your own business?
The Bible presents two contrasting ways of living. The choices we make can put us on the path of wisdom or on the path of folly. One way leads to life while the other leads to death.
King David lived much of his life on the wise path, but there were times he veered onto the path of foolishness. In 1 Samuel 25, we encounter three people:
- Nabal on the path of foolishness;
- Abigail on the path of wisdom; and
- David wavering between the two paths.
What can we do when we see someone veering toward foolishness? One option is to mind our own business and focus on our own path, but, as followers of Christ, we must consider the welfare of others. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves” (Phil. 2:3).
In 1 Samuel 25, we will see how Abigail intervened in the life of David when he was headed toward foolishness and destruction. We will learn how God wants to use us to intervene in the lives of others.
Nikki Wilbanks
Nikki grew up in Tennessee before heading to California to study literature at Pepperdine University. She enjoyed a decade-long career as a commercial real estate appraiser in Southern California, where she met her husband. Back in Tennessee now, she loves being a writer and mom. She is an active member at Third Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
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Abigail: A Woman of Wisdom
When has someone helped you avoid a potential pitfall?
THE POINT
Step in to keep a bad situation from getting worse.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
My kids get along remarkably well. They share, take turns, and my ten-year-old reads to his little sister. There is still plenty of tattle-telling, though. When I hear the two-syllable whine, “Mo-om,” I typically respond with, “Just worry about yourself.” Do I really need to step in every time my six-year-old forgets to flush the toilet?
There are times, though, when the call for “Mom” takes on a sense of urgency—like when someone has put an entire roll of toilet paper in the commode, remembered to flush, and now the overflowing water is headed for the hallway carpet. Sometimes I need to step in to keep something bad from becoming a disaster. That’s part of being a mom.
That’s also part of being a family—looking out for each other and being willing to step in. As believers, we are part of the family of Christ. While there are times we should “just worry about yourself,” there are also times we need to step in and act with wisdom to keep something bad from becoming a disaster. One great example of that is a woman named Abigail.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
1 Samuel 25:14-17
14 One of Nabal’s young men informed Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, but he screamed at them. 15 The men treated us very well. When we were in the field, we weren’t harassed and nothing of ours was missing the whole time we were living among them. 16 They were a wall around us, both day and night, the entire time we were with them herding the sheep. 17 Now consider carefully what you should do, because there is certain to be trouble for our master and his entire family. He is such a worthless fool nobody can talk to him!”
After David’s spiritual counselor, the prophet Samuel, died (25:1), David and his men moved into the wilderness of Paran, where David learned that Nabal was sheering his sheep. Sheep-shearing was a festive time that occurred twice a year, when the owner saw a return on his investment. Nabal was going to profit greatly from those sheep David and his men had protected. A very wealthy man, Nabal had 3,000 sheep, probably producing over three tons of wool. David sent ten of his men to greet Nabal, remind him of the protection his men had provided, and ask for a gift of provisions. Unfortunately, Nabal “was harsh and evil in his dealings” (v. 3). Nabal mocked David and refused his request.
Here we see a shift in David. He let anger get the better of him. Instead of calling on the Lord, David called on his men. “All of you, put on your swords!” (v. 13). David took 400 of his men (two-thirds of his total army) and left to seek vengeance. We later learn that David intended to slaughter Nabal and all the men in his household—fellow Israelites, the people David had been chosen to lead and protect. David was seeking vengeance instead of trusting the Lord. The Lord’s chosen king was heading toward disaster before he even got to the throne.
Question 2:
What obstacles keep us from getting involved
in other people’s problems?
But the Lord was at work. One of Nabal’s servants went to Nabal’s wife, Abigail, hoping she would step in to stop the impending disaster. This action indicates something about Abigail’s character that the servant knew she would be approachable. Abigail wasn’t a meddler or busybody looking for gossip. We don’t find Abigail lurking in the corners listening in on Nabal’s conversations or asking the servants to report back to her. However, she also wasn’t so busy with her own concerns that she was unavailable to others. The servant trusted her to do the right thing. We can follow Abigail’s example to be the type of person others trust to do what is right. We can avoid gossip. We can be available. And we can pray for the Lord’s direction.
Abigail didn’t try to reason with Nabal; she knew her husband to be foolish and stubborn (v. 3). Instead of going to him, she made the bold move to go directly to David (v. 19). We must employ discernment and listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit when deciding how to intervene.
1 Samuel 25:23-28
23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey and knelt down with her face to the ground and paid homage to David. 24 She knelt at his feet and said, “The guilt is mine, my lord, but please let your servant speak to you directly. Listen to the words of your servant. 25 My lord should pay no attention to this worthless fool Nabal, for he lives up to his name: His name means ‘stupid,’ and stupidity is all he knows. I, your servant, didn’t see my lord’s young men whom you sent. 26 Now my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live—it is the Lord who kept you from participating in bloodshed and avenging yourself by your own hand—may your enemies and those who intend to harm my lord be like Nabal. 27 Let this gift your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the Lord is certain to make a lasting dynasty for my lord because he fights the Lord’s battles. Throughout your life, may evil not be found in you.”
When Abigail heard the servant’s report, she got to work packing a generous gift of food for David (vv. 18-19). Then she rode out to meet him. Abigail’s actions were bold and decisive. A married woman in the ancient Near East would not normally go behind her husband’s back to meet with his enemy. However, Abigail wisely assessed the situation and acted. Before we study Abigail’s words, let’s take a closer look at her character and actions.
- Abigail was intelligent or discerning. This is how we were introduced to her in verse 3. We also see that she is humble, eloquent, generous, conciliatory, pious, and decisive. Abigail was a woman of wisdom.
- Abigail showed humility and respect. She sent gifts. She rode on a donkey, a humble animal denoting peace. She bowed down in humility and knelt at David’s feet.
- Abigail went in person to talk to David. Sending a messenger would have been the easier and safer choice, but Abigail recognized the impact of face-to-face communication.
In the longest speech by a woman recorded in the Old Testament, Abigail spoke the truth. She implored David to listen as she turned his focus back to God. Abigail spoke God’s truth. We don’t know how Abigail knew God’s promises for David, but her words show she was focused on God. As Christians, we don’t have to wait for a specific revelation about others before we speak the truth to them in love.
Question 3:
What do you appreciate about
the way Abigail intervened?
1 Samuel 25:32-35
32 Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who sent you to meet me today! 33 May your discernment be blessed, and may you be blessed. Today you kept me from participating in bloodshed and avenging myself by my own hand. 34 Otherwise, as surely as the Lord God of Israel lives, who prevented me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, Nabal wouldn’t have had any males left by morning light.” 35 Then David accepted what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace. See, I have heard what you said and have granted your request.”
David listened and heeded Abigail’s advice. David pronounced a blessing in verses 32-33 consisting of three parts.
- Blessed be God for sending Abigail.
- Blessed be Abigail’s discernment.
- Blessed be Abigail who kept David from taking vengeance into his own hands.
Because of Abigail’s intervention, David avoided sin. David acknowledged Abigail’s role in this—”you kept me from participating in bloodshed”—but he also acknowledged God’s role, the one “who prevented me from harming you.” Here we see the awesome paradox of God’s will working with human will. God doesn’t need our help, but our all-powerful, all-sovereign God invites us to join Him in the good work He is doing in the world.
Question 4:
How can our words and actions in a conflict help
people understand God’s purposes?
David recognized that God worked through Abigail, just as God had worked through David in slaying Goliath. God wants to work through us, too, to help each other reconcile, to encourage one another, and to intercede for each other.
At the end of 1 Samuel 25, we read of Nabal’s death. Abigail had returned home to find Nabal feasting and drunk. She waited until the morning, when he was sober, to tell him about her meeting with David. When Nabal heard her words, “His heart died and he became a stone. About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal dead” (1 Sam. 25:37-38). Here again we see God working with Abigail to bring about His plans. Like Abigail, we can step in with wisdom when we see a fellow believer heading down a dangerous path.
Question 5:
Where in our culture do you see opportunities
for Christians to help resolve conflicts?
Engage
WISE INTERVENTION
Use the wise woman’s name as an acrostic to describe qualities of character and action that display godly wisdom. Then write a prayer asking God to give you godly wisdom in dealing with others.
A -
B -
I -
G -
A -
I -
L -
My Prayer:
“Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God — who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly — and it will be given to him.”
JAMES 1:5
LIVE IT OUT
We should step in to keep a bad situation from getting worse. Choose one of the following applications:
Pray. If you know others who, like David, are headed down a road that is not good, pray. Intercede for the person. Use Philippians 1:9-11 as a part of your prayer.
Praise. Start a list of ways you can pray for others. At the end of each week, look back over the list. Follow-up with those you have been praying for to see how God has answered these prayers. Praise God for His faithfulness in the lives of His people.
Step in. As God gives you the opportunity, step into the lives of others who need “a course correction.” Ensure that any words you offer are grounded in God’s Word and are spoken with love and grace.
Through Christ, we have been reconciled with God. Let’s work for unity and reconciliation in our community by being willing to step in and speak the truth in love.
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