December 2, 2015
1 Samuel 25-Part 2
verse???
LET IT GLOW
I want to say thank you to everyone who faithfully are studying the Scriptures with me. You are an encouragement and keep me going. Also, I am grateful to the Lord for His blessing me with insights, which I need to apply to my own life.
In the later part of verse 1, we read where David went down in the wilderness of Paran.
According to MacArthur, this is a desert area in the northeast region of the Sinai Peninsula.
What was David and his 600 men army doing there?
David and his men had been watching the flocks and protecting the shepherds of a man named Nabal.
What is so significant about this? We need to look at the customs of the day in order to better understand why David expected being compensated for their deeds.
Swindoll, in his book entitled David, A Man of Passion & Destiny, explains:
He and his men were behind the scenes fighting various wild tribes in this wilderness. They were also protecting these shepherds from the attack of wild tribes that would suddenly overrun an area, steal livestock, and assault small villages. According to the customs of that day, at the time the sheep were sheared it was common for the owner of the animals to set aside a portion of the profit he made and give it to those who had protected his shepherds while they were out in the fields. It was kind of like tipping a waiter. There was no written law saying how had to do it, but it was a way of showing gratitude for a job well done.
Do we show our gratitude to those who wait on us and serve us-the clerk, waitress, a mechanic, a salesperson? Sure, it their job, but often times they have to serve folks who are displeased with everything and are grumpy with them.
I was at my doctor's office last week, standing in line to check in, when the man in front of me was a grouch about not being able to see the doctor 4 days before his appointment. It was not the receptionist's fault that there was no opening that day. When it was my turn, I smiled and said "Good morning" to the clerk. It seemed to have helped her cope with the previous situation. I always try to thank people for what they do for me, even if it is their job. So many have thankless jobs. (That includes family, too.) Let's not forget to thank the Lord for all He provides for us throughout the day.
I challenge you today to see how many people you can tell thank you. Now, sincerely do it, not just for adding up your good deed.
LET IT GROW
We read a description of this man named Nabel. By the way, the Hebrew meaning of his name is a fool, which should give us a hint of his character. Oh, he was a character all right.
How do the Scriptures describe this man, owner of the sheep that David has been protecting?
- very great, which means older, an elder, a proud thing, in the Hebrew language (verse 2);
- rich, since he had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats (verse 2);
- churlish, refers to hard hearted, stiff, hard to deal with (verse 3);
- evil in his doings, which means wicked, and refers to his being dishonest in his dealings (verse 3);
- was of the house of Caleb, his ancestor, (Caleb was one of the two spies who brought back a good report to Moses that the Lord could help Israel conquer their Promised Land.) (verse 3)
If someone was writing a biography of us, who words could be use to describe us? I hope they would not include those used to describe Nabal, but those found in Galatians 5:22-23-love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, which are the fruit of the Spirit.
Especially during this Christmas season, are we demonstrating those character traits?
LET IT GO
Show gratitude toward God and others.
Be a loving, kind, and patient person, especially during the month of December.
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