Following God Like Abigail

What’s interesting is just how much like sheep people are.  Sure, we all want to think that we’re unique, different and open minded (or at least some of us do) and we like to point at others that are “brainwashing their children” or “closed to other possibilities” but in reality we’re all this way.  On the grand scheme, we all operate based on a worldview– a way we perceive things around us– to make sense of the world.

When it comes to the church, this worldview is further refined by the doctrinal statements, teachings and traditions of the given church that you’re attending.  The problem is that churches can fall into ruts, where they simply do what they’ve always done because they’ve always done it that way.

David was running around the countryside, fleeing from Saul.  Saul knew David was to be the next king and he wanted his own son, Jonathan, to be king.  So, David had to resort to hiding in caves and finding food where he could.  He comes upon a place and stays there for a while, defending a certain landowners herd and hoping for provision in return.  When he is rebuffed, he threatens to go and kill the man.  Then his wife steps in.

Abigail showed grace and compassion where Nabal just showed bitterness, but Abigail went against the status quo.  She could have said that she was just obeying her husband:  He said that he was not going to provide food for David.  But she acted to protect her husband (even in his foolishness) and to provided for God’s anointed future king.

As church members and believers in Christ, we too should be praying for our church and pastor, we should desire that God lead them.  But there does come a time where, should God call us, we should be ready to do what God calls us to do for the benefit of the church or the pastor, even if he/they do not see it.  Especially if the church is caught in a rut.

We need to follow Abigail’s example, to do what we know to be right and to pursue a relationship with God within our appropriate relationships.  Should God choose to kill our Nabal too, that’s His business.  Our job is to be faithful to Him.