The name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. And she was a woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance; but the man was harsh and evil in his doings. And he was of the house of Caleb. 1 Samuel 25:3
It’s worth reading the whole chapter. The short version is that after David and his men had protected Nabal’s shepherds, Nabal refused to pay them and insulted them instead. David intended to exact bloody revenge on the entire household of Nabal.
Until his wife, Abigail, intervened.
She was a woman of good understanding. Wise, sensible, discerning.
Then she was decisive. (v.18)
She was tactful and humble in dealing with a crisis she did not create.
Then she diffused a volatile situation. (v.24)
She was devout, pointing David to God’s promises to him.
Then she prompted a change in David’s course of action. (v.32)
Conflict is common, maybe not on the scale of David and Nabal, but it is all around us.
We can be a rare voice of calm.
We can be peacemakers.
We can be like Abigail.
