ABIGAIL

I am participating in a study of the life of David at a local church. We recently read the account of Abigail, Nabal and David found in 1 Samuel 25. If you are not familiar with the story, I will let you read it for yourself because, well, you need too! However, after you have read it, come back and join the discussion. Two verses caught my eye. The first is after Abigail has come before David.

"So David received from her hand what she had bought him, and said to her,

"Go up in peace to your house,

I have heeded your voice and respected your person." "

1 Samuel 25:35 (NKJV)

Then , a few verses later, we find this...

"....And David sent and proposed to Abigail, to take her as his wife."

1 Samuel 25:39 (NKJV)

The NIV says David granted her request in verse 35, and he "communed" with her in verse 39. I'll be honest, I like NKJV better. It's more romantic; more Hallmark.

I want to be that to HH. I want him to respect my person. I want him to continue to respect my person fifty years from now. I want to be a wife and mom of integrity to him and the MCs. I want him to be glad he proposed and to not hesitate to do it again. I don't want to give up on that just because he put a ring on my finger. I want to keep striving to be that woman in Proverbs 31, bless her heart. As much as she gets under my skin, I want to keep working toward that. I want him to heed my voice, not out of frustration because I have nagged him to death, but because I have chosen my words wisely and spoken them with respect and love. I want to honor him even in our disagreements and end up, as Keith Moore has often told Beth, at a place where we both win (caught that little gem on Wednesdays with Beth).

I want to encourage you unmarrieds, young or old, to be women who your suitors will respect. Be someone to whom they desire to grant a request. A woman for whom it is deemed an honor to ask for in marriage. I believe what is in the bible is there for a reason and what is left out is left out for a reason. Just a few verses down we read where David took another wife (Ahinoam, verse 43). It makes no mention of David asking her or communing with her. Abigail was a woman who deserved to be asked. Properly. She had won David's respect and kept her dignity in the process.

In our present culture, maintaining your dignity and respect is becoming a difficult task, married or single. We need to turn to the One, the only One who gives it to us, Jesus Christ. He is the keeper of our dignity. He equips us to make the choices that preserve it.

Don't quit.

Don't stop striving for that.

Reagrdless.

As much as she wears us out.

Don't stop.

Encourage each other.

Remind each other.

Correct and build each other up.

Be deliberate.

And remind me that I said all this.

INTEGRITY

This is going to be a painfully honest post.

It may make you think less of me.

If it does, all I can say is I'm sorry, and you shouldn't thought so highly of me in the first place.

Then his wife said to him," Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!"

Job 2:9 (NKJV)

I was reading this passage and the word integrity stuck out at me. I immediately thought of someone whose integrity I question.

Yes, I went there.

Oh this is a verse for so and so.

This person should really read this because I am not sure he/she holds fast to his/her integrity.

On and on I went in my pretty little head.

Then it happened.

The little voice that softly whispered,

What about your integrity?

What? Me? Lord, I hold fast to it.

In this area yes, but what about here? And here? And over here?

What? Ohhhh......ohhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Am I holding fast to my integrity in my relationship with Hunter Hubs?

Am I holding to it in my friendships?

What about my finances? Integrity there?

In my stewardship of my health, my time, my resources?

Am I holding fast to my integrity there?

What about those phone calls I dodge because I just don't want to deal with it or them?

As you can read, I have been getting a royal scolding, and rightly so.

Not because I questioned this person's integrity, but because I failed to look at my own.

Looking at my own gives me the humility and grace to look at his/hers.

To look at him/her through eyes of the love of Christ and compassion.

To pray for him/her sincerely that the Lord will grant discernment and correct his/her ways.

To address it with a heart that is humble and not haughty.

I believe in biblical correction.

With that said, this week has been a God reminder that my attitude better be in check.

I would be wise to take a good long look at my life (all the way around) and see where I fall short.

Then, and only then, do I broach the subject.

With the truth of God's word in one hand and the love of Christ Jesus in the other.

Honestly, I still question so and so's integrity.

I do, and I think it is a big enough deal to be concerned about.

Today, however, I question it with a heart that understands how quickly integrity can be compromised.

A heart that breaks for him/her.

A heart that prays.

So, I'm not perfect.

If you have been reading for anytime, you know that already.

If you are new, well, now you know.

He is continuing His good work though.

Long way from completion,

but He is working.

Deliberately.

Delivering me.

And you.

Let's allow Him do His thing.

His integrity never gets compromised.