When the Bible first described Abigail, this is what it said; “And she was a woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance. This tells us two things, one that she was good to look at and two she had a pleasant personality. However, what the Bible did not tell us, but which we pick up as we read her story, is that she was also a very brave and courageous woman.
The downside of Abigail’s life was that she married a man who was the exact opposite of her. The Bible described him as harsh and evil in his doings, and Abigail herself in speaking to David about her husband referred to him as a fool. Who is a fool? According to the free dictionary, a fool acts unwisely on a given occasion.
We see Nabal’s foolishness on display in his dealings with David. David was in the wilderness hiding from Saul who sought to kill him, there he met and showed kindness to Nabal’s shepherds and sheep in protecting them from harm. After some time, he required food for himself, and his men and Nabal had plenty of food, so David sent messengers to Nabal requesting a favour in return for the act of kindness previously shown. Nabal showed his ingratitude and foolishness by sending a rude message to David who set out instantly to destroy Nabal and his household. Fortunately, a servant told Abigail what her husband had done, and she hurriedly prepared some food and went out to meet David and his men to stop the plan to destroy her family.
Leadership Lessons from the Life of Abigail are;
- Great women take the initiative. When Abigail arose to stop David and his men from attacking and destroying her household, she was taking the initiative, and this is what leaders do. So, although Nabal was the God-ordained leader of the family, he failed in his duty, he exposed his followers, i.e. his household to danger and probable extinction by his foolish decision to oppose David who he could not defeat. He failed to see how far-reaching the consequences of his unwise decision were but Abigail did not and stepped into Nabal’s place as a leader to rescue their family from destruction.
- Great women are willing to risk their lives to ensure the safety of their families. They put the safety of their family above all else. In going out to meet David and his men who were hungry, angry and armed to destroy all that belonged to Nabal, Abigail was taking a great risk and showing great bravery and courage that women are known to display when their family is in danger. For many years, great women have risked their lives, social status, reputation, etc., to mediate for others unable to do so for themselves. Great women go to great lengths to defend the weak and speak out for the voiceless.
- Great women are decisive. They know what they should do and waste no time doing it. If Abigail had been indecisive or delayed acting, she and her family would have been destroyed.
- Great women know how to keep calamity at bay. They understand that every crisis is unique and will require a unique approach to resolving They recognise that the solution to one emergency is not necessarily the solution to another.
- Great women accept responsibility. They recognise that leadership comes with responsibility. Therefore, they do not only accept responsibility for their actions, but they also accept responsibility for the actions of those around them. And they make amends. They possess sufficient humility to attain this. When Abigail met David, she did not try to defend or explain away Nabal’s churlish behaviour. Rather she accepted responsibility for all that transpired. She fell before him on her face and said, “Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience…I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send…I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid…..” Her words and actions endured her to David. And when she was done speaking, he said to her, “Go in peace to thine house; see I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.”
- Great women are not rebels, but they know when to take the lead. Nabal was the leader of that household but when he made an unwise decision to turn down David’s request, a decision which put his family at risk, Abigail knew it was time for her to take the lead and she did just that. Great women have discernment. They know when to obey an instruction and when not to obey an instruction. When to follow and when to refrain from following.
- Great women are also wise women and brilliant mediators. Unlike her foolish husband, Abigail knew she could not afford to make David her enemy. So, she went to him and appealed to his better sense of judgment, thereby delivering herself and her family from harm. She became in that instant a mediator, standing between her family and destruction.
For thousands of years, women have been known to step in and save their households from danger. The reason is simple; women nurture lives; for this reason, Adam called his wife Eve which means life-giver.
Women are neither weak nor faint-hearted, let no one deceive you. Inside every woman, there is an Abigail ready to meet and stop the enemy afar off. Let the Abigail in you arise today.
