“David said to Abigail, ‘Blessed be the Lord who sent you this day to meet me! Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and working salvation with my own hand! For as surely as the God of Israel lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male.’
“Abigail came to Nabal, and he was holding a feast in his house, like… a king. Nabal’s heart was merry, for he was very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until the morning light. In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. And about ten days later the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.
“When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, ‘Blessed be the Lord who has avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from wrongdoing.'” 1 Samuel 25:32-34,36-39a
“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'” Romans 12:19
David , though anointed king, had not yet taken the throne. When the rude and greedy Nabal refused his young men’s reasonable request, he prepared to attack to avenge their honor. Enter the foolish businessman’s discerning wife Abigail, who graciously offered sustenance and a plea not to be rash, but to trust that the Lord would establish His king. David wisely relented, grateful for the reminder of Who actually bore and would deal with the insult. His anger was assuaged, his hands were kept free from blood, and his determination to leave vengeance to God was solidified. (1 Samuel 25:1-31; 39b-42)
Insults fly and offenses roil in a dissension-poisoned culture. Ungrounded and prickly people rebuff being bullied and blame everything and everyone for their hurt and misery. Man can readily find cause to be angry at anything others say and do. Lashing out only makes us like the very fools we disdain; leaving vengeance to the Lord unveils His majesty in ways we’d have otherwise missed. Every time we halt an urge to sin strengthens holy resolve for the future. (1 Samuel 26:8-11,21,23; Proverbs 29:11)
Our just God knows how to take care of His own and their enemies. His ways are perfect, His judgments timely. We can confidently keep doing the next right thing and entrust our emotions and reactions to His outworking.
What grievances do we carry and coddle to our detriment? Who has wronged our upright behavior or loved one, our ego or entitlement? Meting out rage-fueled revenge serves only to dishonor true justice and exacerbate flagrant pride and emotion. God knows the legitimacy of our claims and the best antidotes and consequences.
What resentment, harsh words, or temper need we lay down, and trust the Lord’s resolution? Where can we be an Abigail, working respectfully to make peace and point to God’s will and character? Jesus bore the wrath against sin so we would not need to. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Lord, help me think and behave rightly in my treatment of others, trusting Your finished work, to the honor of Your perfect name and character.
As the rain and snow 