I accept all blame in this matter, my lord.

1 Samuel 25:24, NLT

Abigail shows up in the Bible as a woman already in a difficult and dangerous situation. We know little of her past, but somewhere along the way, she married a poor excuse for a husband named Nabal. Marrying Abigail may have been the exception of wisdom that proved the rule of foolishness in Nabal's life. Abigail is an intimate part of the history of David of Bethlehem, who became the famous King of Israel. She proved herself a resourceful woman, a wise negotiator, and a noble wife. By the time we meet her, Abigail had become the acting manager of Nabal's household. We know this because when her husband made a very foolish decision, a servant immediately notified her of the danger. That servant trusted her to listen and respond wisely. Nabal's rude refusal to help David had placed the entire household in extreme danger. As you read Abigail's story, notice the integrity of her words and actions. She spoke truthfully and boldly. She backed up her wise words with practical gestures. Her immediate challenge was to diffuse an explosive situation. She gathered supplies that equaled or exceeded what David might have expected when he first approached Nabal. These she sent ahead of her as she approached David to negotiate. When Abigail met David, she accepted responsibility for her husband's thoughtless words and appealed to David's integrity. She drew attention to David's responsibility to God beyond his desire to seek personal retribution. She helped David see he would lose more by pursuing vengeance than by letting Nabal live. Besides, Nabal's previous offense had been erased by Abigail's generosity. All the while Abigail operated within the boundaries of her role as Nabal's wife. David was amazed over Abigail's practical wisdom. She had managed to create a win-win situation out of a dangerous confrontation. When she got back home, Abigail waited until her husband could comprehend the implications of his actions before she explained what she had done. The impact was so devastating that Nabal had a stroke and died. David didn't hesitate to take Abigail as his wife. She had demonstrated integrity and had been instrumental in allowing God to work in a complicated situation. She serves as an effective role model to all who desire to serve God with honor even under difficult circumstances.