Love with Abundance!
1 Samuel 25
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, April 21.
How do you handle disappointment when someone does not give you what you think you are owed? Whether through contract or custom, whether it was presumption on your part that you should receive something, or it was a breach of etiquette on their part for not doing what they should have done, how do you respond?
While David and his men were in exile, they faithfully cared for the local shepherds, who worked for a rich merchant named Nabal. In 1 Samuel 25:10-11, Nabal responded to David’s humble request for provision with apathy for his neighbor and negligence for his responsibilities as a patron:
“Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants today who are each breaking away from his master. Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men whose origin I do not know?”
Thankfully for Nabal, his wife Abigail fulfilled his responsibilities to David and gave him and his men a feast out of their abundance and said to David in verse 27, “Now let this gift which your maidservant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who accompany my lord.” She loved them with abundance and God honored her for her sacrifice. She also prevented bloodshed as David was not responding to the offense so well and was seeking vengeance with his own hand (32-33).
In Romans 13:8, Paul gives profound wisdom that can change your life and prevent a lot of disappointment and unnecessary conflict,
“Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.”
Seize the moment by loving with abundance and like Abigail, God will honor you for your sacrifice. You never know what good will come from your act of love.
God bless you!
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