“So David’s young men turned on their heels and went back; and they came and told him all these words. Then David said to his men, ‘Every man gird on his sword.’ So every man girded on his sword, and David also girded on his sword. And about four hundred men went with David, and two hundred stayed with the supplies. Now one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, ‘Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master; and he reviled them. But the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, nor did we miss anything as long as we accompanied them, when we were in the fields. They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the time we were with them keeping the sheep. Now therefore, know and consider what you will do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that one cannot speak to him.’ Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five sheep already dressed, five seahs of roasted grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and loaded them on donkeys. And she said to her servants, ‘Go on before me; see, I am coming after you.’ But she did not tell her husband Nabal.”—1 Samuel 25:12–19 (NKJV)

Have you ever faced a situation where someone’s reckless words or actions put you in a difficult position? Sometimes all it takes is one foolish decision to spark destruction, but equally as we see in today’s passage one wise response can bring peace. Abigail’s quick thinking shows us the power of wisdom in the face of volatile conflict. What insights can we learn from Abigail’s actions?

Wisdom Recognizes Danger: Nabal’s such a fool he’s completely oblivious to the danger of his actions. Abigail understood her husband’s actions put her entire household at risk. She’s able to discern the big picture—everyone including herself may not live to see another day. We’re free to choose foolishness, but we’re not free from the consequences of that choice. Every choice we make has either a good consequence or a bad one. 

True Wisdom Will Not Be Swayed by a Fool: Abigail’s husband, Nabal, is known for being so unreasonable, his own staff won’t even bother trying to talk sense into him. This is the textbook definition of a fool. In Hebrew, Nabal means “fool; futile; worthless.” Maybe he refuses to provide hospitality due to arrogance or greed. Either way, she doesn’t allow her husband’s bad attitude to corrupt her character, kindness, or generosity. 

Wisdom Understands Words Can Either Bring Life or Death: We’re taught in Proverbs 15:1 that a soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. In the passages to follow, we’ll read that Abigail softens David’s rage with kindness and truth. In wisdom, she speaks life to David. She affirms his biblical identity, reminding him he’s an upright man and a warrior for the Living God. She reassures him how he was hand picked by the Lord to rule over God’s chosen people and that vengeance belongs to the Lord. We have the opportunity to speak life to those around us every day, especially in the face of conflict.

Wisdom Is More Valuable than Wealth: Nabal has riches but no wisdom. Abigail is a wise woman who understands and personifies Proverbs 16:16 (NKJV): “How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.” Not only does she display generosity in her peace offering, but there’s a lavish generosity of her spirit overflowing in her heart. While she gathers this offering, she willingly puts herself at great risk to preserve the lives of her servants. God help us to remove our modern view of the world for just a second so we don’t overlook the immense bravery and boldness it took for this first-century middle eastern woman to approach a band of warriors raging with indignation to save her own household. 

Wisdom Waits: “She did not tell her husband.” As we read in the bigger narrative, Nabel had gotten drunk after he refused to help David and his men. Not only was he a fool, but now he’s a drunk fool . . . that’s a steaming pile of disaster waiting to explode.  Ecclesiastes 3:7 teaches there’s a time to keep silence and a time to speak. When approaching conflict, it’s often wise to wait before we confront. 

Abigail’s story reminds us that wisdom and humility can turn the tide of conflict. While Nabal brought foolishness, Abigail brought peace and favor. In our lives, we’ll be faced with moments where we must choose to respond in anger or with wisdom. May we all choose Abigail’s path and bring glory to the Lord. 

Pause: Have you ever faced a situation where your own reckless words or actions put you in a difficult situation where you chose anger over peace?

Practice: Reflect on a time where you gave an angry response. Ask the Lord to reveal what was behind your anger. Anger is a secondary emotion. What was the deeper, more vulnerable feeling under the anger? Was it rejection, fear, or feeling insignificant? Whatever comes up, ask the Lord to heal your hurt. 

Pray: Dear Lord, I’ve not always responded with wisdom. I can be foolish sometimes and let my mouth speak before I get my emotions in check. I can let anger get the best of me at times. Please show me where my hurt comes from and help me heal. Please give me a heart like Abigail’s that is self-sacrificing, generous, and brave. Like her, I want to have the wisdom to know when to speak and when to hold my tongue. I desire to speak life to those around me, so they may see Your love overflow in me. I pray this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.