“Disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household.” The servant’s words were laced with fear. What could one woman do to prevent such a catastrophe?
The Bible says Abigail “wasted no time” when the servant told her that an angry David and his 400 soldiers were on their way to avenge her husband Nabal’s insulting behavior. She was prepared for disaster. Wow.
What can we learn from her?
1 Samuel 25 tells Abigail’s story. She was trapped in a bad marriage. Maybe she’d been praying for years about what to do, how to manage her difficult circumstances. Obviously, the answer she’d been receiving was “Wait. Hang in there, Abigail. I have a plan.” That’s not the sort of answer I like to hear. But one of the things I love about Abigail is that she remained faithful in the small things, and eventually God rewarded her in a big way.
Daily Routine
On most days, our daily routine is the will of God for us. Love mercy. Do justice. Walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8). Do our job to the best of our ability—as to the Lord (Colossians 3:23).
Be the hands and feet of Jesus to whomever He puts in our path. Practice makes perfect. If Jesus were standing right next to me, what would I do right now, this very moment? Well, He is standing next to me, so what should I do?
Here’s what Abigail did.
She practiced godliness in day-to-day life: treating her servants well, respecting her husband, managing the household. When disaster arrived, she didn’t focus on what she didn’t know; she focused on what she did know, the next practical step—how to get together food and provisions for hungry men.
God’s Revealed Will
Abigail also realized that kindness was part of God’s revealed will. In ancient times, hospitality included sharing your food with strangers who showed up at your home (see Job 31:16-19; Isaiah 58:6-7; Deuteronomy 23:3-4). Besides, David’s men had been more than kind to Nabal’s servants; they had protected them from the Philistine raiders. Nabal’s insolent response was wrong. Returning the kindness was the right thing to do. Abigail knew it, and she did it.
Abigail wasn’t afraid to be the injured party and take the blame. She humbly chose to act in a godly manner no matter how foolish she looked. And in doing so, she prevented David from killing innocent people.
Abigail’s righteous response to a crisis was a combination of prayer, circumstances, people, and biblical truth. There were no coincidences. God worked around and through every aspect of these events: Abigail and Nabal’s marriage, David’s men helping Nabal’s servants, Nabal’s ungodly behavior, David’s lapse in judgment, the servant’s appeal to Abigail.
Life isn’t a Let’s Make a Deal game where only one door holds the grand prize. God works around human error and through human error. He can always transform tragedy into triumph.
Abigail’s circumstances may have been unique, but we can apply her methods: Be willing to wait, be faithful in our daily routine, choose kindness, and embrace humility.
Take the next step: Read 1 Samuel 25. What most impresses you about Abigail? Ask God to help you cultivate that trait.
For more inspiration and encouragement visit Denise Loock at http://www.digdeeperdevotions.com
