Today's Surrender Is Tomorrow's FreedomSample

Do you ever find yourself repaying evil with evil? We call it getting even, and I wonder why in the world we would want to be even with somebody who has hurt us. Wouldn’t we be better off getting ahead of that person?

David had it in his power to give Nabal what he deserved. David was on his way to settle the score when Nabal’s wife intervened and reminded David of the staggering burden of getting even (v.31). In the way only an intelligent, beautiful, God-fearing woman (v.3) can do, Abigail gently placed her hands under David’s chin and averted his eyes from his revenge-deserving target, tilting them toward the future: When God has fulfilled every good promise he has made you, what story do you really want to tell about how you dealt with my fool of a husband (v.30)?

Abigail was ahead of her time. Eye for eye was the law of the land in her day, but somehow she knew the law that had not yet been revealed. Peter speaks of this law centuries later when he writes, “...repay evil with a blessing, because to this you were called…”

Peter finds this idea in an ironic place - David’s journal. Peter’s verses 10-12 are a word-for-word quote of Psalm 34:12-16.

And where did David get this notion? From Abigail, who apparently knew Jesus’ words before He ever spoke them: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth…’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:38-47, excerpts).

We have a choice. We can be like Nabal and repay good with evil, we can do what David was going to do and repay evil with evil, or we can be like Abigail and repay evil with good. We are most like Jesus when we surrender our right to get even and return good for evil. Let’s let grace take the place of getting even.