Abigail- Peacemaker or Push-over?

Abigail didn't live an easy life. Chances were she married for money and wealth and that got her a whole lot of nowhere.

1 Samuel 25:3 tells us that her husband, Nabal, was surly and mean in his dealings. I am sure that didn't stop with his "business dealings". He probably wasn't the easiest person to live with. She probably put up with alot from the man whose name means "Fool".

But it never stopped her from protecting her own. It didn't change who she was deep down inside. In fact, it made her stronger.

When we first meet Abigail, she shows up as no more than Nabal's wife. It doesn't take long to see she really is so much more.

While David was in the desert, he and his men had protected Nabal and his sheep by making a wall around Nabal and his property. Come sheep-shearing time all David wanted was some food and water for him and his men.

But that Nabal, was a fool. Without a second to think, he got right up on his high-horse and asked why he should give up what he had for only God knows who.

Nabal answered David's servants, "Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. 11 Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?" 1 Samuel 25:10-11

You can only imagine how that sat with David when he got word of Nabal's response. He immediately began heading in Nabal's direction to take the wind right out of Nabal's and his mens sails.

Fearing the wrath of Nabal's actions, one of the servants ran to Abigail to intervene. Without a moment of hesitation she was on her way to meet David and his men to make peace. She knew her husbands attitude had risked all his holdings and placed her in a difficutl position- yet her dependence did not did not lay in her husband but with God.

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. 1 Samuel 25:18-19

As soon as she reached David she fell to her knees, her face to the ground and begged.....

She fell at his feet and said: "My lord, let the blame be on me alone. Please let your servant speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. 25 May my lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name is Fool, and folly goes with him. But as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my master sent. 1 Samuel 25:24-25

She understood that David was doing God's work, and she supported that. David was amazed at Abigail's faith and praised her for her quick actions. Her words reminded David of the bigger picture.

Please forgive your servant's offense, for the LORD will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my master, because he fights the LORD's battles. Let no wrongdoing be found in you as long as you live. 1 Samuel 25:28

David turned aside his wrath because of Abigail's response. But while she was making peace, Nabal was throwing a party. When she returned, he was drunk, so she waited til the next morning to inform him of what she had done. He went ballistic, threw a fit and ended up dying, probably from a heart attack or a stroke.

Once David heard of Nabal's death he sent for Abigail and asked her to become his wife. Here we see her move from a fools wife to a king's bride.

In Abigail, we see how intelligent and how faithful she was. She did not let a difficult relationship get in the way of her walk with the Lord. And she didn't let it change who she was. We see how she let God bring peace and tranquility to her situation. And through her story we can also see that once we've passed through the troubles, God gives us a better life that we ever expected.

Who are the Nabal's in your life and do you react like Abigail when confronted?