1 Samuel 25:14-20: a reflection

14But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master; and he insulted them. 15But the men were very good to us, and we were not harmed, and we didn’t miss anything as long as we went with them, when we were in the fields. 16They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17Now therefore know and consider what you will do; for evil is determined against our master and against all his house, for he is such a worthless fellow that one can’t speak to him.” 18Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread, two containers of wine, five sheep ready dressed, five seahs of parched grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. 19She said to her young men, “Go on before me. Behold, I am coming after you.” But she didn’t tell her husband, Nabal. 20As she rode on her donkey, and came down hidden by the mountain, behold, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them.

When Nabal foolishly insults David and provokes his anger, disaster looms for Nabal's whole household. But Nabal's wife Abigail, warned by a servant of the danger, does not stand by or hesitate; she acts wisely and swiftly. She hurried and took provisions, loaded them on donkeys, and set out to meet David and turn away his anger before blood was shed. Recognizing the danger, she stepped in decisively as a peacemaker, taking quick, wise action to prevent the harm that was about to fall. Her prompt, wise intervention would avert the disaster her foolish husband had provoked.

Notice Abigail's wise, decisive action as a peacemaker. She did not stand by, wring her hands, or wait to see what would happen; warned of the danger, she acted at once, wisely and swiftly, gathering provisions and going out to meet David and make peace. She stepped in decisively to prevent the harm that was coming, taking the initiative to avert disaster rather than leaving it to unfold. Her peacemaking was not passive but active, a prompt and wise intervention to stop bloodshed before it happened. She saw the danger, and she moved to prevent it, stepping into the breach as a wise peacemaker.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too are sometimes called to step in wisely and decisively to make peace and prevent harm. When we see conflict brewing, harm about to be done, disaster looming, we can stand by, hesitate, hope it will resolve itself; but Abigail stepped in decisively, acting wisely and swiftly to make peace and prevent the harm. There is a place for active, wise peacemaking, stepping into the breach rather than standing by. When you see harm looming or conflict brewing, do not stand by passively; step in wisely and decisively to make peace and prevent the harm, as Abigail acted swiftly to avert disaster. Be a wise peacemaker who steps in decisively to prevent harm and make peace, rather than standing by passively, as Abigail acted swiftly to turn away David's anger before blood was shed; for there is a place for active, wise peacemaking, and stepping into the breach to prevent harm is a good and needed thing.

Lord, when Nabal foolishly insults David and provokes his anger, disaster looms for Nabal's whole household. But Nabal's wife Abigail, warned by a servant of the danger, does not stand by or hesitate; she acts wisely and swiftly. She hurried and took provisions, loaded them on donkeys, and set out to meet David and turn away his anger before blood was shed. Recognizing the danger, she stepped in decisively as a peacemaker, taking quick, wise action to prevent the harm that was about to fall. Show me Abigail's wise, decisive action as a peacemaker. She did not stand by, wring her hands, or wait to see what would happen; warned of the danger, she acted at once, wisely and swiftly, going out to meet David and make peace. She stepped in decisively to prevent the harm that was coming, taking the initiative to avert disaster. Her peacemaking was not passive but active. She saw the danger, and she moved to prevent it. Take that to my heart, for I too am sometimes called to step in wisely and decisively to make peace and prevent harm. When I see conflict brewing, harm about to be done, disaster looming, I can stand by, hesitate, hope it will resolve itself; but Abigail stepped in decisively. There is a place for active, wise peacemaking. When I see harm looming or conflict brewing, keep me from standing by passively; help me step in wisely and decisively to make peace and prevent the harm, Lord, as Abigail acted swiftly to avert disaster.