Hubert Humphrey, once said “In real life, unlike Shakespeare, the sweetness of the rose depends upon the name it bears.”

Things are not only what they are, they are, in very important respects, what they seem to be. Another man also said, people’s fates are simplified by their names.

Have you ever been given a name and you pondered on why you were given that particular name? Or do you also believe in names and it’s impact on one’s life.

If your answer is yes to any of the questions, very good! And if you don’t fall to any of this category, no qualms. We are still together on this ride. Let’s goooo!!!

Abigail: Worst Turned Favorite!

Some years back, a beautiful girl was birth to a family of three boys and this made her the only princess of the family.

As the only baby girl in the family, there were different names that shows the circumstances around her birth. You know names like, (Okanlawon, Morenikeji) shows who the person is even without them explaining the reason for their names to you.

One of the names given to her was ABIGAIL. The surprise here is that the only girl in this story is me. Yesss, me.

However, I don’t like it whenever I was called that name. I felt the reason I was given the name was because I was the only girl in the family and it really depicted it.

As my own meaning of the name was ‘we gave birth to a girl’. Funny right, don’t mind me. The attitude towards the name wasn’t getting any better that I had to stop using it as my third name.

Mind you, it’s not as if I was not told by my parents that the name was a biblical name. I was told but that did not change my conviction about the name.

Fast forward to a day when the four walls built in my mind concerning the name began to crumble.

I made some findings about the name, which made me hit my leg against the stone. This led to my fall into the pool of love with the name, Abigail. Ever since then, she became one of my favorite characters in the Bible. Surprised, right?

Don’t be, my dear. It is still the same me who disliked the name that has now fallen for Abigail.

Do you want to know the things I hit my leg against that made me fall? Then, let’s continue the ride as I unfold the Goody Box about Abigail.

Who Is Abigail?

Let’s start with the meaning of the name. The name Abigail was gotten from an ancient name, AVIGAIL. It’s a feminine name of Hebrew origin.

The Ab means FATHER and the Hebrew root means TO REJOICE. The primary meaning associated with the name is father’s joy.

Beautiful meaning, isn’t it? Abigail was the only woman in the Bible described as “beautiful and intelligent.”

Please, tell me why you won’t fall in love with an individual like this. Let’s see how she got that deep combo, Beauty with Brain.

How She Got The Title  – Beauty With Brain

It was the time when Samuel had died, and David was to be anointed the new king. In Maon, the region of Carmel, there lived Nabal, a wealthy man who owned many flocks of goats and sheep. But, in the Bible, he is described as being harsh and doing evil deeds.

Basically he was a big jerk, if not worse. It’s pretty bad when the Bible calls you evil. He was married to Abigail, the beautiful and intelligent woman.

As a biblical wife, Abigail was not a woman of power, but she was wise. We know this by her actions when she learns what her husband has done.

So, David and his men were in the area where Nabal lived. He sent messengers to Nabal asking for food and provisions for him and his men. You know the saying, ‘One Good Turn Deserves Another’. This was not the case with Nabal as he refused and showed no hospitality towards David.

Nabal hurled insults at them and asked who David was? He sent them back to their master using harsh and foolish words. David’s servants went back to him and reported every word.

Upon hearing that Nabal would not offer any kindness, David wanted revenge, so he took 400 of his men and rode out to see this foolish man. However, one of Nabal’s servants must have immediately feared for their lives. He knew exactly where to run for help: to Nabal’s wife, Abigail.

She knew who David was and lost no time to pack “two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grains, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs”. She loaded them on donkeys and set out to meet the soon-to-be king of Israel. She also did not tell her husband where she was going.

David was so pained that all his effort to make sure nothing of Nabal’s get missing in the desert has been useless as he has just being paid evil for good. He swore to God to deal with him severely if by morning one of his male offspring remains.

Abigail approached David and his men, and when she met up with him, she humbly bowed before him and pleaded with him to hear what she has to say. She asked that the blame should be on her alone.

She said, “May my lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name, his name is Fool and folly goes with him.”

But, she also reminded David that his life was in God’s hands and that He would destroy David’s enemies. Abigail asked David to remember her when God had fulfilled his promise to him.

Abigail was allowed to return home, and David listened to her wise words. He promised to do no harm to Nabal’s family.

When Abigail arrived home, she found Nabal in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was also in high spirit, so she waited until morning to tell him what she had done.

Upon hearing all that has happened, the Bible records that His heart failed him and became like a stone. After ten days, he died.

David praised God for intervening on his behalf when he heard that Nabal was dead. He also remembered Abigail, and he sent for her, and she became his wife.

Abigail’s courage, wisdom, and faith in God allowed her to actively intervene and save Nabal’s household from the revenge of David. She also saved David from going into a battle that was not his to fight but that God would fight for him.

And God provided for Abigail because she did this good deed. She married the king and was under his care and protection. Abigail has a son with David, and they name him Kileab.

Worthy Of Emulation – Nuggets From Abigail’s Life

What can we learn from Abigail’s story. More than you might think!

Name – How Important It Is?

For a long period of time, names were everything. And people seemed to live up to the meaning of their names.

Take a look at our case study, Abigail’s husband was Nabal. His name meant fool and he definitely was not a wise man. Even the wife said the folly follows him around.

In fact, he was a mean, selfish, drunk. Abigail, in contrast, means father’s joy and she actually brought joy by saving the whole household from perishing.

Before you give that name you heard somewhere or you just feel it is pleasing to the ear. Please, make a thorough finding on the name.

The Power Of Words

Words are very powerful and it can bring wrath or goodness. Abigail probably knew the saying “You’ll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar”. Nabal’s hurtful and unkind words aroused David’s anger.

But it was Abigail’s kind, logical, and emotional words while she negotiated with David that diffused the situation. A soft answer is not a weak one, often the most powerful response is given in the mildest tone.

Is Fear The Answer?

Don’t ever be held down by FEAR. If Fear had gripped her and she hesitated for a minute, it would have been a different story. The Bible records that she ‘lost no time’ after being told what Nabal had done.

FEAR is ‘False Evidence Appearing Real’. It makes one waste time unnecessarily. It’s a spirit one should not allow in one’s life. You have an idea in your mind and you are being held back because of fear, baby girl and baby boy.

Fear is not your THING, yeah. Go out there and do great exploit. Carry out that idea that has been coming on to you.

Meet The Right People

Meeting the right people also makes life easy. Some people have told their dreams or goals to the wrong people and that dream has been killed since then. Pray to God to surround you with good people.

If Nabal’s servant had not gone to meet Abigail and he went to meet another person. It would have been a different story.

Generosity

Another thing worthy of emulation is her Generosity. One thing we don’t know is that, Gifts have grace in the sight of every man.

Abigail knew that the presentation of her gifts would give her an audience with David. She was not stingy with the gifts. Even the Bible tells us in the book of Proverbs 18:16;

A gift opens the way for the giver, and ushers him into the presence of the great.

Abigail keyed into this and it worked.

Would you like to meet a very important person? Take a generous gift. It will do wonders to gain entrance into his presence.

Humility

Abigail also displayed a high sense of humility. Being humble doesn’t take anything away from you. Rather, it brings respect, love, loyalty and all good things you can think of towards you.

Now, let’s note that humility doesn’t mean stupidity. There’s a big difference with that, don’t mix it up. She shows humility as she asks David for forgiveness for her presumption in stopping him and in speaking to him in this way. And her humility paved way for her and Nabal’s household.

Conclusion

Often in life, it’s not the easiest of times, but the hardest that can bring out the best in people.  Abigail’s life and Bible story is a powerful reflection of this very truth.

Instead of wallowing in self-pity and defeat over her circumstance, she acted courageously and used great wisdom when faced with a threatening scenario. Thanks for going on this beautiful ride with me.