Listening To Reason

 

Listening To Reason

Then David said to Abigail: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand. For indeed, as the Lord God of Israel lives, who has kept me back from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely by morning light no males would have been left to Nabal!”

I Samuel 25:32-34

Sometimes we are wise to listen to the sound advice of others, instead of following our own natural inclinations. David was on an errand to avenge himself. Nabal was a wicked, worthless, ungrateful man. David, and his men had been very good to Nabal. They had provided for the security of his people and his property. When David sought help to sustain his own people, Nabal responded with insults and calumny. David was angry enough to kill Nabal. Abigail, Nabal’s wife, got wind of what was about to happen. She organized supplies and personally interrupted David on his errand of destruction. She appealed to him, and in essence, pointed him to Christlike behavior. She argues, ‘And it shall come to pass, when the Lord has done for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you ruler over Israel, that this will be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. But when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.’  David listened to her wise counsel. Christlike behavior in others serves to point us to Christ. Abigail is both wise and gracious. As she behaves in a Christlike manner, so she influences David. He listens to reason, and learns from her example. In due course of time, God exonerates both Abigail and David. In a few days ‘the Lord struck Nabal and he died.’ God is, ‘the Avenger of His elect.’ ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ We may leave the wicked who oppress to the God Who will deal with them in His Own time, and in His Own way. For our part we may look to Christ, that by His Spirit He will enable us to do what is right in His sight and what most reflects Him.

Our most Holy and Wise God,
we praise You, that You use people to influence us.
We rejoice in every person that You use
to point us to the Living Christ.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning