In today's passage, David continues his wanderings and avoidance of the increasingly insane King Saul. We find the current king, Saul, coming to grips with the passage of power from himself to David. Only when David shows mercy and grace unto Saul does the current king recognize (tacitly) the anointing afforded to David. So often, we only recognize God's blessings when we are faced with a "close call" that awakens us to how much we need His presence: for example, a near-crash in the car.
We read about a great woman of faith today, Abigail, who employed wisdom to become a peacemaker. Thrust into what could turn into a serious conflict, she bypassed the thickness of her husband Nabal to broker peace with the ongoing army of David and his followers. Her influence saved the lives of an entire family and preserved the reputation and the future for a king.
In Samuel 25:18,19, we read: "Abigail lost no time. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys. Then she told her servants, 'Go on ahead; I'll follow you.' But she did not tell her husband Nabal." She recognized that David's men had made a reasonable request and had protected the sheep of her husband Nabal, and she ministered to the oncoming troops in a language that every man can understand: freshly prepared food. Her humility and preparation created a strong first impression. She looked out for the other party's best interests; as Proverbs teaches, a humble person who brings gifts will have the audience of kings.
How does Nabal react to the news of Abigail's intervention? With great shock -- that leads to his untimely death! In an ironic way, Abigail's husband receives the "burning coals" referenced in Proverbs 25:21,22:
"If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the LORD will reward you."
Jesus taught in the Beatitudes: "Blessed are the peacemakers,/ for they will be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9) How do you react to conflict? Do you intend for the other party's best interests, or do you act out of vengeance? Do you seek to learn the root cause of a person's discontent, or do you try to brush aside their "symptoms"? Do you seek to think clearly and strategize how you might best work out a solution for everyone?
QUESTIONS
1. How have you seen God working in your life this week?
2. With whom do you have a conflict right now? What could you do in order to bring peace? How could you bless this person?
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