Loyal, OK

 
Pastor Leon Seaton

WISDOM OVERCOMES HOT TEMPERS

What is wisdom? Godly wisdom is using the knowledge we have. “Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.” James 4:17

A “hot temper” means that we are out of control of our emotions. “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45

“My life is in the hands of any fool who makes me lose my temper.” Joseph Hunter

True wisdom comes from God – either through the work of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, or the teaching we receive from others.

Theodore Levitt of the Harvard Business School noted that “Experience comes from what we have done. Wisdom comes from what we have done badly.” 

"A wise man learns by the experience of others. An ordinary man learns by his own experience. A fool learns by nobody's experience." Source Unknown

          The simple truth is that we all mess up at times, but we should strive to be in control of our temper and our mouth. God will help us accomplish this if we will spend time in His presence and commit our lives to Him.

1 Samuel 25:1b-40

Our society often confuses beauty and wealth with wisdom and God’s blessings. Although it would be fun to be beautiful – or handsome – and wealth certainly has an appeal, the real road to success is a working acquaintance with God.

God offered King Solomon anything he wanted. He asked for an “understanding heart” (wisdom), and God was so pleased that He tossed in wealth as well.

In our scripture story for today Nabal had the wealth, but he lacked the wisdom. His temper and pride almost destroyed the lives of a lot of men. Fortunately a wise woman stepped in and took charge of the mess!

 David had been anointed to be king, but at this point in his life he was still on the run from his father-in-law.

“Nabal” means “A fool” and he certainly acted that way.

God is not impressed with our wealth. He tells us not to seek it, and He tells us “To whom much is given much will be required.” Thus wealth is a responsibility.

“The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”   1 Samuel 16:7b

Nabal was not a good neighbor. He was not a man of honor or honesty; he was rude, cross, and ill-humored. He was an evil man, totally self- centered, and as we would say today, “Not worth shooting.”

David and his men had some huge needs, so he pleaded for help from Nabal, based on the protection that his men had provided Nabal’s shepherds.

David's men were in distress and debt, they were discouraged; had they not been the men of caliber that they were they would have stolen what they needed.

Nabal understood who David was and what he had done. He also understood their need. However, covetous people do not know how to give.

God does not have a problem with our being wealthy, but He does not bless us just so we can lavish it on our personal whims. He expects us to meet the needs of the poor. He wants us to help the helpless, the widow and the orphans.

If you think you own everything you have, you will be in for a rude awakening; in the end each of us will give an account of our lives.

Recently I visited with a lady in another city that is crippled by Multiple Sclerosis. She asks every one that stops to see her to pray for her healing. As she and I reviewed the scriptures on healing we noted that many of them are tied to forgiveness. So I asked her if there was anyone that she needs to forgive.

She responded, “Probably my brother, but you do not know how mean he is.” She indicated that she would rather hurt him than forgive him! That attitude will stop us from being healed. As the Lord’s Prayer says, “Lead us not into temptation!” We must forgive!

          What would you do if you were Nabal’s wife? She was a wise, courageous woman! By sending a present Abigail atoned for Nabal's stupidity. 1 Samuel 25:18 describes the gift: two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.

David was one very upset man. Listen to him! As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them. David had just said, "It's been useless--all my watching over this fellow's property in the desert so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good. May God deal with David, be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!"

Note that she very submissive. Verse 24 tells us that she told David to blame her! Gentleness is an attribute of strong people, not weak people. Abigail could not excuse her husband's conduct, so she depends on God's grace, to soften David. And God responded by speaking to David through her.

Abigail told David that it was below him to take vengeance on someone as weak and despicable as Nabal!

 She also encouraged David to look past the troubles he was having to the time when God would elevate him to success!

Abigail reminded him that if he let his temper get the best of him he would always regret harming innocent people.

Has anyone ever corrected you? Were you thankful or did you wish they would just mind their own business?

Most of us are impressed if we take reproof patiently; it’s even harder to be thankful!

That night Nabal was very drunk – he threw a big banquet for his men. Getting drunk is not a sign of manhood, by the way. He was so drunk that Abigail just went to bed without telling her husband what great danger he was in.

The next morning he was sober, but with the expected hangover. When his wife told him what had happened he went into emotional shock and became like a stone. He died ten days later.

The scripture tells us that the Lord smote Nabal, and he died. David blessed God that he had been kept from killing the man.

Those days are a little hard for us to understand today. As you know, women have been liberated, so they are no longer the “property” they used to be.

Abigail understood that David would be king over Israel; she admired his character although she kept him from making a stupid mistake. Thus she was able to accept David’s marriage proposal.

David’s problems were not over, but she was willing to go through the trials with him. This should remind us that when we join forces with the Lord Jesus Christ we have to be willing to share in the sufferings the body of Christ endures.

By doing that we know that in the future we will rule and reign with Christ.

We are to love everyone; to show the compassion of Christ in all we do.

           For those of us who work for a living – whether self employed or employed by someone else – the simple truth is that we want to excel.

          May I challenge each of us to excel as Christians? To make every effort to become everything God wants us to be!

          When you arrive in heaven and hear the Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” you will be glad that you made the effort!