Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Al Campbell:
1 Samuel 25:2-11 (NIV)
2 A certain man in Maon, who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. 3 His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband was surly and mean in his dealings—he was a Calebite. 4 While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep. 5 So he sent ten young men and said to them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel and greet him in my name. 6 Say to him: ‘Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours! 7 “‘Now I hear that it is sheep-shearing time. When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing. 8 Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore be favorable toward my men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them.’” 9 When David’s men arrived, they gave Nabal this message in David’s name. Then they waited. 10 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?”
Name the enemies of righteousness in the story in today’s reading.
Have you had to resist any of these enemies to doing what is right in your life?
If successful in resisting, what did God do to help you?
Gracious God, You blessed Nabal in today’s passage with much wealth making him successful by the world’s standards. Sometimes success and wealth make people believe that they are better than others. Instead of being thankful for their abundance, they become self-absorbed, proud and mean to others not as fortunate. As the absolute lord of his possessions, Nabal thought that he could do what he wanted to do with his wealth and detested the request to provide necessities to the needy. Lord, Jesus, protect me from greed, pride, and selfishness. Help me recognize that my skills and possessions are all gifts from You. Give me the humility to not make myself more important than others, no matter what my wealth. Allow me to be generous and kind to those in need. Thank You for allowing me to be a steward of all that You have entrusted to me and allow me to use it in accordance to Your will to bring You Glory. Amen