Ditch Discernment

Learn from what could have turned into a horrible situation if not for the character and skill of a woman who trusted God and was used by her. In preventing a bad decision, she gives us further insight into what it looks like to make good ones.

Body

Read 1 S 25:1-8, but leave out v.3

What’s going on here?

The setting - grieving Samuel, time for shearing sheep, David and his men on the run from Saul in the Wilderness of Paran

David and his men had been in Carmel where this rich man was from and had provided protection for the shepherds (v.16)

David, the next king of Israel, sends a blessing to this man and makes a simple request - could you spare something let us celebrate the feast?

It’s a common, reasonable request - feasts were a time when Israelites were especially generous with one another and David was asking for “whatever [he had] on hand”

And at this point, it seems like a nice little story of some men with shepherding in common helping each other out. We should expect them to crack open some Barleyweisers, eat some lamb chops and swap stories.

But that’s not what happens, I left out an important detail that lets us know a lot about what’s in store with this story and introduces us to the person whose presence in this story will change its outcome.

Read v.3

Here we get a better view of the players in this situation-

We know David - NEXT WEEK: his judgment gets clouded by his anger ( he had displayed situational discernment regarding Saul in 1 Sam 24)

Nabal - He’s rich and foolish. These often go together in the Bible but with disastrous results

Proverbs 28:6 CSB

6 Better the poor person who lives with integrity than the rich one who distorts right and wrong.

Proverbs 28:11 CSB

11 A rich person is wise in his own eyes, but a poor one who has discernment sees through him.

Proverbs 28:20 CSB

20 A faithful person will have many blessings, but one in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.

NEXT WEEK: fails to realize who he’s dealing with (more on what he does next week - he’s selfish and stupid) (illus:“His name is Mudd”)

Abigail - can only imagine how she got mixed up with him except she’s beautiful and he’s rich

The actions - potential conflict

How does she navigate such a volatile situation and steer it around disaster?

She understood and applied this:

Discernment keeps us out of the ditches and rolling toward good decisions.

Abigail is beautiful, but she’s also brilliant; these don’t always go together, see

Proverbs 11:22 CSB

22 A beautiful woman who rejects good sense is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.

Abigail is described as possessing both

discernment (v.3 - sekel) - good evaluation/circumspect/situational prudence; (ref. Prov 16:22)

discretion (v. 33 - ta’am) - good taste; what is appropriate

So let’s see how she displays this quality:

The story/situation

She doesn’t see what had happened at first, until the young man comes to tell her - v.25 “I didn’t see”

But when she is made aware she heeds the servant’s advice to “consider carefully” (identifies what’s going on)

Why? because the stakes are high (“trouble for our master and his entire family”)

All of this suggests she probably has had to run interference for Nabal before

She actually serves Nabal even though he has no credibility in her eyes (lost respect)

She displays meekness (v.24, 26) - “the guilt is mine” “it is the LORD who kept you” > she sees herself as being in the service of the Lord > David says in v.32 that the LORD sent her (use next week - he wasn’t heeding the Lord)

She generously cares for David and his men, providing what they need (v.27)

She seeks forgiveness, calms David

She gives perspective, projects the outcome of David’s wrath

v.30-31

The result - v.32-35

Her household is safe, she protects the men of that house who nobly put the goals and interests of a fool ahead of their own.

Finally, at the time when he should have been dead already, she tells Nabal what she has done (v.37)

Ecclesiastes 8:5 CSB

5 The one who keeps a command will not experience anything harmful, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure.

This is what Abigail understood.

Discernment involves taking a SIP of a situation.

illus: Sommelier

Working along with the culinary team, they pair and suggest wines that will best complement each particular food menu item.

This entails the need for a deep knowledge of how food and wine, beer, spirits and other beverages work in harmony.

A professional sommelier also works on the floor of the restaurant and is in direct contact with restaurant patrons. The sommelier has a responsibility to work within the taste preference and budget parameters of the patron.

Develop the ability to

See - What’s going on?

A situation involves a setting with players, objects, and action

Identify - What kind of situation is this? (Danger, Opportunity, Test)

Have to figure out what you’re looking at

Project - What are the likely outcomes?

And then take next steps based on those projections

Abigail: sees the situation (circumspect), identifies the possibilities, projects the possibilities and takes action to avoid disaster

My projection -

if you ditch discernment you’ll find yourself in the ditch

but if you develop discernment you, like Abigail, will see your life open up with new possibilities

Which leads us to this: how do we develop discernment?

You can develop discernment as you:

Recognize the rightful King. (Proverbs 9:10)

Proverbs 9:10 CSB

10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

She, unlike Nabal, recognizes that David is the rightful King.

Ask for it. (Ps 119:125, 144)

Psalm 119:125 CSB

125 I am your servant; give me understanding so that I may know your decrees.

Psalm 119:144 CSB

144 Your decrees are righteous forever. Give me understanding, and I will live.

Practice it. (Hebrews 5:14)

Hebrews 5:14 CSB

14 But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.

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