Folly in the Heart Needs Grace
This past Wednesday in our staff meeting Michael lead us in a reflection on the Proverb of the day, (i.e. Proverbs 9 for August 9), which like much of Proverbs contrasts the way of wisdom with the way of folly. Throughout Proverbs, wisdom is held out as the ideal, the way to life, while folly is to be avoided as the way to death. One of the truths observant in Proverbs 9 is that the way of wisdom and and the way of folly often do not appear to us as diametrically opposed as we might hope. Sometimes it is only a short step from wisdom to folly.
Such is the case in 1 Samuel 25, where we will pick up David in the third of our studies centering on his wilderness days. While chapters 24 and 26 show David at his best, chapter 25 shows David struggling, about to head down the path of folly. It is ironic because it is the fool, Nabal (1 Sam 25:25), who incites David. But again, Proverbs 9 reminds us of the difference between those who scoff and those who are wise:
7 Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. ...
9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
Unfortunately the world is full of Nabals. We encounter fools at work, in our families, our neighborhoods, among political leaders, etc... It takes wisdom to know how to handle a fool. Sometimes we "Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes." Other times we, "Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself." (cf. Prov. 26:4,5). These two proverbs, coming back to back as they do, illustrate the necessity for wisdom in dealing with a fool, after all we all have folly bound up in our own hearts (cf. Prov. 22:15).
Enter Abigail. This beautiful woman of 1 Sam 25 (v. 3) personifies wisdom and grace in a moment that is fraught with peril for David. She navigates both her husband Nabal and David to bring about peace that preserves a kingdom. As we will see on Sunday, Abigail is a powerful picture of the ministry of Christ that brings about peace in a world full of fools. It really is good news. I can't wait to dig into it together on Sunday!
Photo by 愚木混株 cdd20 on Unsplash