PEACEMAKERS

Abigail was a true peacemaker! Her bravery and courage spared the future king of Israel from doing something terrible. Her story is in the Bible: David had been forced to live in the countryside to escape King Saul’s jealousy. A group of about 600 men and their families had gathered around him. For several months they camped near Carmel where the flocks of Nabal (Abigail’s
husband) were grazing.

David’s men had helped Nabal’s shepherds protect the sheep from robbers. Now the shearing time had come, and David sent messengers to ask for some payment from Nabal, who was a wealthy man. But he refused and treated David’s men with disrespect.

In anger David rashly decided to take revenge on Nabal and all the men in his household—and planned to attack them. When Abigail heard what had happened, she quickly gathered a large supply of food, met with David and his fighting men and humbly apologised for her husband’s bad behaviour. David immediately realised that she had stopped him from carrying out a revenge
which would have angered God, and he praised God for providing Abigail in the situation (1 SAMUEL 25:32).

Are we as quick to try and resolve our fights and arguments? Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (MATTHEW 5:9).

Thinking it over . . .

Read Ephesians 4:2-5. What do you think it would look like in your life if you made “every effort” to keep unity and peace (V.3)? How do the attitudes listed in verse 2 help makes us people of peace? What limits do you think there are to
the unity and peace we offer (2 TIMOTHY 3:1-5; 2 JOHN 1:7-10)?

GOD’S PEOPLE ARE TO MAKE PEACE WHEREVER THEY CAN.

YouTh Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries