Are you a person of wisdom and good taste?
18 Apr 26
Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion, Devotions on F.I.R.E. Year One
Readings:
1 Samuel 25
1 Samuel 26
Luke 16:19-31
A gracious woman retains honor (Proverbs 11:16).
Are you a person of wisdom and good taste?
An attractive but tasteless woman is described in Proverbs 11:22: “As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a lovely woman who lacks discretion.” The Hebrew term for “discretion” conveys the idea of taste. Abigail stands in contrast to the Proverbs 11:22 woman. She is described as “a woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance” (1 Samuel 25:3). In a day when marriages were arranged, Abigail was betrothed to Nabal. His name literally means a fool, and it matches him (1 Samuel 25:25). Abigail’s prudent actions save her moronic husband’s life from an enraged David. Subsequently, he gives her a triple blessing (1 Samuel 25:32-33). After David blesses God, he pronounces to Abigail, “And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand” (1 Samuel 25:33). No wonder Abigail’s story is biblically recorded.
Employment Point: Display the twin virtues of wisdom and discretion.
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Reflections
“As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them. David had just said, “It’s been useless—all my watching over this fellow’s property in the wilderness so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good. May God deal with David, be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!””1 Samuel 25:20-22 NIV
- we can probably sympathise with David and understand why he was angry with Nabal. David and his men protected Nabal’s property, keeping watch like how a shepherd would. But Nabal did not even appreciate but hurl insults at David.
- Sometimes when people asks us for help, we too, ought to be gracious and understand that there may be times others are coming to ask out of courtesy or goodwill and since they ask, if we can, we should lend that helping hand. It is all about being the good neighbour isn’t it?
- For Nabal’s case, he was being ungrateful to the point that it brought anger upon David so much so that he regretted ever helping him. I think a learning point is also not to turn our heads away when we have the ability to offer help. Be gracious as the Lord is also gracious to us.
“When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until daybreak. Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone. About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal and he died.”1 Samuel 25:36-38 NIV
- a king who has no proper discernment is unfit to be king. A woman, who supposedly does not have any power, nor any wisdom, does much better than preserving the lives of the Lord’s people than her husband.
- Look at Nabal, whom in his own foolishness did not even realise what bad things he had done. He had nearly cost the lives of all men in his care, if not for the saving grace of his wise wife. Yet when the wife returned from meeting David, Nabal was drunk.
- Samuel is no longer around but that doesn’t mean that the Lord cannot do anything anymore. He holds the utmost power and He is still, our living God.
“But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.””
1 Samuel 26:9-11 NIV
- a common word is spread in the world. It says ”Being merciful to the enemy is being cruel to oneself.” This gave rise to the concept of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. People want to take revenge because in this world that has so much unrest, peace and love is not something everyone is looking for. They want justice and they all want the bad guys to be punished as deemed.
- However in the eyes of the Lord, He saves all. Every one is a sinner. Even you and me. We cannot say that we are more deserving than anyone else. The Lord loves everyone the same.
- David is truly a man after His own heart. He has been given two opportunities to kill Saul but he refused to. His conscience was clear and he decided that he is not the judge to declare death on Saul.
“The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness. The Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all trouble.””
1 Samuel 26:23-24 NIV
- the Lord does wants us to follow His ways, learn from Him and apply all that we learnt. Whatever we have been given, we are to show that same kindness and love to others. Here David also said that the reverse is true. Because he extended that grace, he prayed that may he too, receive that kind of grace in return.
““But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.”
Luke 16:25 NIV
- the Lord had always taught us to love our enemies. Isn’t it so true that we sometimes may not know or even see that future but this verse should grant us comfort with the knowing that if we are in agony now, the Lord will know and will vindicate us after.
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Readiness
BY OSWALD CHAMBERS
April 18
God called to him. . . . And Moses said, “Here I am.” — Exodus 3:4
When God calls, many of us are lost in a fog. We don’t know where we are; we don’t answer. Readiness means having not only a right relationship to God but also a knowledge of where we are at the present moment. Often we are so busy telling God where we’d like to go that we don’t bother to notice where we are. Moses knew where God had placed him, and when God called on him, Moses clearly said: “Here I am.”
The person who is ready for God’s work is the one who will win the prize when the call comes. Too often we wait to take action, held back by the idea that some amazing opportunity is just around the corner. If a great opportunity does happen to arrive, we’re quick to cry, “Here I am!” But if the duty God calls us to is small and obscure, we aren’t there.
Readiness for God means being ready to do the tiniest thing or the grandest thing. Whatever God’s program, we’re there. We hear the Father’s voice as the Son heard it; we’re ready with all the alertness of our love for the Father. Jesus Christ expects to do with us exactly as the Father did with him: to put us where he likes, in pleasant duties or in unpleasant duties.
Be ready for the surprise visits of God. A ready person never needs to get ready. Think of the time we waste trying to get ready when God has called! The burning bush is a symbol of everything that surrounds the ready soul—ablaze with the presence of God (Exodus 3).
WISDOM FROM OSWALD
The great word of Jesus to His disciples is Abandon. When God has brought us into the relationship of disciples, we have to venture on His word; trust entirely to Him and watch that when He brings us to the venture, we take it.
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Reflections
I guess being ready means even if He calls us last minute, we will still say ok. No questions asked, no complaints or even doubting Him like “why you only tell me now?”
A state of being ready has to stem from His peace. I felt that I cannot be ready when my heart is not still. Well but also not like He doesn’t have the power to transform. Cause for me, the stillness sets my heart to be able to put Him first. No anxiousness, no worries. Just a sense of immense peace of knowing He’s got my back. I don’t have to worry. Or even when work is piling, I also don’t have to worry because it will get done somewhat. What’s the worse that can happen anyways?
Many times we let procrastination obstruct the views our Lord wants us to see. I setup our own self-blocking mechanism and then blame Him for not speaking to us, when the fact is that we ourselves were too focused on ourselves or we were overly concerned over things that we cannot control. Asking us to give up our sense of control means setting ourselves up for being vulnerable. However, the reverse is also true. If we don’t allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we will never be able to experience God’s great power and strength because when we are weak, then we are strong.
So let’s not let circumstances or anything limits us from God’s call. Not because we are big, we are seasoned, or have any skills or anything that God calls us. He calls us just as we are, regardless of who we are. The important here is just to say “Yes” to Him and to answer that call, regardless of how small or how big that call is. There is definitely a reason why He is calling us and not anyone else to do something. And because He calls us, He will definitely be with us.
Let’s pray:
Father help us and give us the courage to take on the calling You have placed in our hearts. Help us not to be afraid to step out of our comfort zones and to take that radical first step. Lead us Lord and strengthen our faith day after day. In Jesus’s name we ask and pray. Amen 🙏🏻
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