INTRODUCTION
The desire of God for us all, (men, women, old and young) is to live in peace with everyone around us. It is the duty of Christians to follow peace with all men, even with those who may be instrumental to our sufferings.
MOTHERS AS PEACE SEEKERS
The aim of this year’s Mothers’ day theme is to sensitize every woman to be determined, in whatever situation, to seek peace with everyone they come in contact with (Rom. 12:18).
▪︎It is to encourage every woman to be tolerant and forbear other people’s excesses, that peace may reign at all times in our relationships.
▪︎A woman who will make impact in her home and everywhere she finds herself is expected to be a peace seeker.
There’s an interesting story for us to learn from, in 1Samuel Chapter 25.
There are three main characters in this story: David, Nabal, and Abigail.
DAVID
▪︎He was a man of war and violence. Violence was his language.
▪︎He was a man of vengeance (1Sam. 25:21-22).
▪︎He would have destroyed his future with his anger and violence, if not for Abigail’s intervention (1Sam. 25:33-34).
NABAL
▪︎He was an evil and wicked man (1Sam. 25:3).
▪︎He was a drunk (1Sam. 25:36).
▪︎He was a fool (1Sam. 25:25). The meaning of his name is “fool”, “worthless”, “good-for-nothing”.
▪︎He was rude and mannerless (1Sam. 25: 10-11; Prov. 18:21; 21:23).
▪︎He was a son of Belial (1Sam. 25:25; 2:12).
▪︎He was an abuser (1Sam. 25:17,25). Like Eli’s sons (1Sam. 2:22).
▪︎He was greedy and stubborn (1Sam. 25:17b).
▪︎He died a premature and shameful death (1Sam. 25:38).
This is the picture of many men today and many women have found themselves in the captivity of such men, suffering in silence.
▪︎There are women today who are beautiful, intelligent, industrious, diligent and married to wealthy men. They have their own servants, loyalty of their husband’s staff and unquestioned access to all the household abundance. But beneath this wealth and affluence, they’re navigating in a marriage to a difficult and worthless man, with bitterness and tears. May the Lord intervene in their situation in Jesus’ name.
ABIGAIL
▪︎She was a beautiful and an amazing woman (1Sam. 25.3).
▪︎She was a woman full of wisdom (1Sam. 25:3).
▪︎She was caught between two powerful systems (Nabal’s and David’s) threatening both her life and those of her houschold. But she was able to navigate her way out with wisdom.
▪︎Out of wisdom, she didn’t consult her husband before going to meet with David. Nabal would have complicated the matter more.
▪︎She was a smart businesswoman. The servants went to her because they knew she’s capable of solving the problem at hand (1Sam. 25:17a).
▪︎She made good use of the executive opportunity she had: Unhindered and unquestioned access and authority to resources (1Sam. 25:18). She deployed them to save her household from disaster.
▪︎She was a woman of kind and soothing words (Prov. 15:1). She attested to her husband’s foolishness (Vs. 25a). She told David that things would have been different had it been his men met her instead of her husband (Vs. 25b). An indication that she was the one in charge of the business, her husband was just the front.
▪︎She was a skilled diplomat. She applied diplomacy in solving the problem. She convinced David to believe that she was on his side.
▪︎As a soldier, David was a strategist but she proved to be a greater one. David was quick to take action for violence but She was also quick to make effort to avoid violence.
▪︎She was a courageous woman. Rather than sending a mediator in her place, she courageously approached David.
▪︎She saved herself and her household, as well as David’s future (1Sam. 25::28, 33-34).
▪︎By what she did, she gained the honour of becoming an “old-testament-type of Christ.”
>She came riding on a donkey.
>She presented offerings for Nabal’s trespass.
>She asked David to let the blame for the offence fell on her alone. (substitutionary sin).
>She prophesied about David’s reign, declaring the kingdom.
>She is a peacemaker.
CONCLUSION
Being peaceful and a seeker of peace is an attribute of God that can only be given by grace. May the Lord grant all mothers the grace, wisdom and understanding needed to be real peace seekers everywhere they find themselves in Jesus name.
PRAYERS
1. Father, make me an agent and a carrier of peace. Help me and grant me the grace to pursue peace wherever I find myself in Jesus’ name.
2. I receive peace in my home and in all areas of my life in Jesus’ name, Amen.