Gentleness is powerful. It can open doors where there are none and build bridges with burned-out ropes. It helps you navigate through sticky situations gracefully. It’s wisdom that comes from above. This wonderful fruit of the Spirit was Abigail’s strong suit, but it certainly wasn’t her husband’s.
After David, in a display of remarkable gentleness, pardoned Saul’s life -the man who was hunting him- 1 Samuel 24. he and his soldiers went to the wilderness of Paran. In this region, there was a very wealthy man named Nabal who was harsh and evil in his doings.
David and his people had been camping around Nabal’s shepherds, watching for their safety along the way. One day, David sent his men to speak to Nabal and ask that he share some provisions with his men, but Nabal’s reply was incredibly rude.
Infuriated by his ill manners, David set out to eliminate Nabal’s house and everyone in it. One of Nabal’s shepherds ran to Abigail to tell her about the incident. Moved by gentleness, Abigail immediately set out to do damage control on the catastrophe her uncouth husband, Nabal, had brought upon their house.
Not only did she send David’s men a generous provision of food, but she also went down to meet David personally and gently dissuaded him of his revengeful intent.
“When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord, and let me speak to you; hear what your servant has to say.” 1 Samuel 25: 23-24
That day, gentleness won, and Abigail found grace in David’s eyes.
But the story doesn’t end there! The plot gets interesting! If you want to find out where gentleness took Abigail and rudeness Nabal, you can find it in 1 Samuel 25.