Lesson
“I want to explore this idea of Vengeance & Beauty. I want to ask, Where has God placed beauty around you to rescue you from vengeance? In what way is he calling you to perform beautiful acts or speak beautiful words to those around you as a way to rescue them from giving into vengeance?”
Text I Samuel 25
Ice-Breakers
- Was there ever a time in your life when your wife/mother/sister saved you from disaster? Or would have if you had listened? Please share your story with the group.
- Are you more likely to listen to a rebuke from an attractive person or someone you find ugly or unattractive?
- Nabal’s name means ‘fool’ and his actions in our story fit his name. Do you know anyone whose actions either support his/her name or resulted in a new name or nick name?
Background
While David and his band of fugitives are hiding in the wilderness, they protect the flocks and servants of Nabal. When Nabal has a feast after the sheep shearing, David sends some men to ask for a gift of food, reminding Nabal that they had protected his flock in the wilderness, when they could have stolen it instead. Nabal gives them only insults, to which David responds with threats. Abigail, risking the displeasure of both men, saves her household and David’s honor by going to meet David with the gift Nabal should have given.
Digging Deeper
- Read the David & Abigail story out loud, perhaps with different people reading various parts. What features of the story stand out to you? What lesson does the Holy Spirit drive home to you as the story is being read?
- How would you compare Abigail’s beauty to that of Bathsheba? How do David’s responses to the two situations compare? Which woman loved David? (I Sam 25:3, 23-31; II Sam 11:1-5, 14-15, 26-27)
- David Taylor said that King David thought to himsel, “Saul is God’s anointed, but Nabal is trash.” Is there anyone wyou are annoyed with or hurt by right now? If the one who is hurting you the most is a Saul whom you can’t touch, is there a Nabal you’re punishing instead? Are you following Leviticus 19:18?
- Who brought about the ‘happy ending’ at the end of the chapter? To whom did both Saul and Nabal have to answer? Are you content to let God deal with your Sauls and Nabals in His timing?
Ministry Time
- Ask for the Holy Spirit to reveal to you at a deeper, truer level the love of God in Christ.
- Ask God to deliver you from a present temptation to give in to vengeance or to save you from a state of vengeance you may find yourself in—to rescue and forgive and heal you from the ugliness in your heart.
- Ask God to empower you to lay down your life, as Abigail did, in an act of beauty or in words of beauty to a person near you.
Application Ask God to show you somebody this week who is in need, maybe in a prolonged wilderness (relational, emotional, financial, occupational), maybe facing the temptation to give in to vengeance, and do something beautiful for them, something costly, risky perhaps, certainly generous as a way to extend God’s Abigail-like love to them . . . whether in the form of time, words, service, gifts, physical affection. For whom? Your spouse, your child, your parent or other family relative, your friend, person you live with or work alongside, a neighbor… |
