1 Samuel 25:13

New Living Translation (NLT)

“Get your swords!” was David’s reply as he strapped on his own. Then 400 men started off with David, and 200 remained behind to guard their equipment.

For meditation

He had survived King Saul in the wilderness. David was presented with the sweetest opportunity to strike and finish his nemesis and end his misery. But he refused to touch the Lord’s anointed. David refused to take revenge. That was God’s prerogative in His sovereignty.

1. So, what happened to him against Nabal (1 Sam. 25:12-13)?
2. Why was David going after a foolish man like Nabal?
3. Why such a huge detachment of soldiers, four hundred hungry men, against a single household?
4. What had gotten into him?
5. Where was the godly consideration that kept him from taking Saul’s life in the cave (24:10)?

You see, anger is a most difficult thing to control when the ego is offended. When the self is assailed, it naturally jumps into offensive mode. It happens when we are denied what we think is rightfully ours, especially when we have worked hard for it. It is the most difficult thing to accept. That was David’s situation. When his men came back with Nabal’s denial message, David was incensed.

“Put on your swords!” (25:13).

Obviously, David was wounded by Nabal’s meanness.

“A lot of good it did to help this fellow. We protected his flocks in the wilderness, and nothing he owned was lost or stolen. But he has repaid me evil for good. May God strike me and kill me if even one man of his household is still alive tomorrow morning!” (21-22).

That would make most people livid, and when the adrenaline is pumping, only God knows how far we would go with the enemy. For, there is a predator lurking behind the scenes in the life of God’s people, looking for the unguarded saint to devour (1 Pt. 5:8). The ones who lose their cool, and in anger, take rash decisions, fall prey to him before they know. Resist him!

I pray you will fight against anger and the rash decisions that mostly proceed from it. The end result is always undesirable and could be destructive. Guard against it in your marriage. Fight it in the office. Pray against it in the church. Keep the holiness of God right in front of you all the time and allow the Holy Spirit to bear His fruit of self-control in you.

May you spare your loved ones the pain of picking the shameful pieces after you; and may you glorify Christ Jesus with gentle responses when provoked in anyway.

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov. 15:1).

Shalom