Fools Don't Live Long - Part 2

FOOLS DON’T LIVE LONG (Part 2) 

“While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep. So he sent ten young men and said to them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel and greet him in my name. Say to him: ‘Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!

‘Now I hear that it is sheep-shearing time. When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing. Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore be favorable toward my men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them.’

When David’s men arrived, they gave Nabal this message in David’s name. Then they waited.

Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?”

David’s men turned around and went back. When they arrived, they reported every word. David said to his men, “Each of you strap on your sword!” So they did, and David strapped his on as well. About four hundred men went up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies”.

1 Samuel 25:4–13 (NIV)

Brethren, we continue with our series on 1 Samuel 25, the story of David, Abigail and Nabal. Yesterday we looked at the couple; Nabal and Abigail and how the scriptures described them. Today, we focus on David and the selfless services he rendered to Nabal, which turned abusive.

David was running away from Saul, who was looking for him to kill. He had just speared the life of Saul when he could have killed him easily. And Saul this time had acknowledged that David was a good man and he knows that the Lord God had given the Kingdom of Israel to him (David). He also pleaded with David to swear an oath not to do harm to his descendants (1 Samuel 24:20-22). While David and his men were in the wilderness, they decided to be proactive by providing some security services to Nabal’s shepherds and property. No one made that request – neither Nabal nor his shepherds. Unfortunately, this act of good fate was not appreciated when David made a request for support from Nabal. One would think, Nabal will aligned himself to the future King. But it seemed he didn’t know the current affairs of the day. He rather chose to rain insults on David in his absence (verse 9-12).

Oh Yes brethren. It really hurts. Sometimes you go all out to take initiatives just to be told “who sent you”. Many people have refused to take initiatives or do any acts of kindness because they were not acknowledged, appreciated or rewarded for it. What they got in return was pain, disappointment and name calling. My brother, my sister, do not allow rewards or acknowledgement stop you from being proactive or taking good or kind initiatives. Remember what Paul told the people of Galatia in Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up”. You will definitely be vindicated or rewarded like David was in verse 38. Your reward will not only be in heaven, but here on earth as well. Allow God to fight your battles for you and keep doing good every time.

For those in authority; supervisors, line managers, team leads, etc. who for fear of losing their position or jealousy, will deliberately overlook or disregard initiatives taken up by their subordinates, I pray you learn a lesson from this passage and the story am about to share. Great leaders take feedbacks and give credit where it is due. Note that, the tables can turn anytime. A Christian brother shared the story of a university student who was frustrated by his lecturer while writing his final year thesis. He tells me the student almost gave up the project because the frustration was too much, to the point that he couldn’t graduate with his colleagues. But he did complete it and graduated a year after. Years by, this student now became the head of an International Cooperation that oversees projects in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. And it happened that his lecturer (supervisor) needed an approval for a big-ticket project he had submitted to this same agency. All approvals had gone through and awaiting that of this former student who was the head. Just a signature and stamp for this multi-million project to be approved or rejected. Brethren, you can imagine the expression on the face of this lecturer.

The point here is that, you are not God, therefore stop acting as one, in whatever high position you are in. You are just a steward, some day you will give an account as Paul tells us in Romans 14:12 “So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God”. I leave you to reflect on Titus 1:7-8, “For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.”

Shalom and Peace to you.

 

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