Walking with the Wise #251: Stupid Is As Stupid Does

“Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it,
but the instruction of fools is folly.”
—Proverbs 16:22

God divides the world between two camps—the wise and the foolish. The wise are not so much those who have high intellects or who are very well educated, but those who know the right decision to make in difficult situations. Perhaps one of the most wise and often overlooked individuals in Scripture who exemplified good sense is Abigail, the wife of Nabal.

David had been on the run from King Saul for quite some time, and the nation was in mourning because Samuel, the great prophet and last judge in Israel’s history, had just died. David and his six hundred fighting men had gone to the Wilderness of Paran, where they were temporarily holed up. Previously, having been in Paran some time ago, David’s men had come into contact with men who worked for a wealthy businessman by the name of Nabal, a Calebite. Knowing that marauders might come against them, David’s men protected Nabal’s men, ensuring their safety while they went about their responsibilities. But now, David’s men were in need of food, so David sent ten of his men to inquire of Nabal, as to whether or not he might be able to supply some sheep for them. After all, it was the least Nabal could do for a man who had secured his business and ensured the safety of his employees.

David’s ten men went to Nabal with their request, but Nabal responded contemptuously, not only refusing their request, but spitefully questioning David’s integrity. Upon hearing this slight, David ordered his men to dress for battle and set out to destroy Nabal. Unbeknownst to Nabal, his wife, Abigail, had heard of her husband’s foolish response and rushed to placate David by humbly presenting David with food and reminding him that were he to kill Nabal he would be guilty of bloodshed. She then preceded to tell David that her husband was a fool as the meaning of his name suggested, and he shouldn’t even worry about him. David responded to her wise words saying,

“Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me!  Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand!  For as surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male.’  Then David received from her hand what she had brought him. And he said to her, ‘Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice, and I have granted your petition’”—1 Samuel 25:32-35.

Abigail went home and watched as her husband threw himself a party getting pretty drunk in the process. Being wise, she waited until morning when he sobered up, to tell him what happened with David. Once Nabal heard the news about his brush with death “his heart died within him, and he became as a stone” (1 Samuel 25:37). Scripture then tells us, “And about ten days later the LORD struck Nabal, and he died” (1 Samuel 25:38). Upon hearing of Nabal’s death, David says,

“Blessed be the LORD who has avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal, and has kept back His servant from wrongdoing. The LORD has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head.”—1 Samuel 25:39.

Nabal’s story is that of a fool. He is the personification of the phrase from the film Forrest Gump, “Stupid is, as stupid does.” His name meant, “fool” and he lived and died according to the meaning of his name.

Contrasted with Nabal is the wise and discerning Abigail, who exemplified “good sense” which resulted in her being honored as David’s wife (cf. 1 Samuel 25:40). She represents the appropriate and best response—carefully considering the slight of her husband to David’s men, her promptness is getting enough food to assuage David’s anger, and her wise words which testified to God’s promise and David’s greatness. She truly was a wise woman.

If we are not careful, we too, can be fools. We must make sure that we are making wise decisions, careful that we honoring God and not taking too much pride in our own abilities, as the proverb says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall”—Proverbs 16:18. Love and honor the LORD, and He will honor and protect you. Don’t be wise in your own eyes, but seek the wisdom that is far more rich and proven—the wisdom of God—and you will be blessed because of it. Amen.