Life's Inanities and Ironies

“ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” — Proverbs 9:10 Today, we turn our hearts and minds to a powerful story from the Old Testament that speaks directly to our walk with God. In 1 Samuel 25, we encounter a tale of wisdom, restraint, and divine justice that holds timeless lessons for us as believers. This chapter introduces us to David, Nabal, and Abigail—three individuals whose actions reveal the importance of living in obedience to God’s Word. As we unpack this story, I pray that the Holy Spirit will illuminate our hearts and guide us to apply these truths in our daily lives. The Story: A Summary In 1 Samuel 25, we find David, the future king of Israel, in the wilderness, fleeing from King Saul. During this time, David and his men protect the flocks of a wealthy man named Nabal. When David asks Nabal for provisions, Nabal responds with rudeness and ingratitude, refusing to help. Enraged, David prepares to take revenge. How...

Hey everyone, I just wanted to share a deeply humbling experience I had after church this morning. One of my brothers in Christ—who is in as bad or worse shape than I am most days—stopped and asked me about the requirements to donate a kidney, or at least to explore the possibility. Now, I know that sounds extraordinary, but what you might not realize is that my brother Larry is in his 80s, has been in poor health off and on for the last 6-8 years, and is currently living in a nursing home. Yet, he felt led to ask me about this. The fact that someone going through so much is still ready to offer up even more, if he can, is incredibly humbling to me. I explained to him that the criteria for being a donor are very strict. Over the last three years, I've had at least five people try to sign up to donate for me, and each one has been turned down for various reasons: diabetes, liver conditions, histories of various diseases that disqualify people from the list. Part of me is very glad t...