[From 6/24/13]
"When Abigail saw David, she hurried & alighted from the donkey, and fell before David on her face, bowing to the ground. She fell at his feet and said, 'Upon me alone, my lord, be the guilt; please let your servant speak in your ears...'"
(1 Samuel 25:23-24)
The story of Abigail & Nabal is an interesting one. Nabal was grumpy, mean, rude, and stingy. When David & Co. protected Nabal's shepherds in the wilderness, then asked for some provisions for a feast, Nabal turned them away quite selfishly. It was a big insult, and David took it exactly the way it was intended.
What Nabal didn't know, of course, was his actions set in motion a chain of events that would not only lose him his wife, but lead to his death. David thought he'd be the one to kill Nabal (and ALL his family - he was quite miffed!).
Enter Abigail. Smart, beautiful, gracious, tactful, and generous (all the things Nabal wasn't!). She intervened with food, flattery, and favors. David relented. Disaster was averted. Even David recognized she saved him from blood guilt.
Sometimes we need to intervene on behalf of the ones we love, to spare them the guilt & repercussions of thoughtless actions. That's a lesson most parents learn. Unfortunately, so do some spouses.
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