SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON - MAY 17TH

Focal Passages:

1 Samuel 25:2-3,18-19,23-31,36-38,39b

What This Lesson Is About:

Abigail was married to a harsh and difficult man. She used her wit, wisdom, and discernment to navigate her family through troubles while remaining faithful to her husband and content to leave her future in God’s hands.


Spiritual Preparation Through Personal Bible Study - by Jerry Lemon, Senior Adult Minister, First Baptist Church, Waxahachie, TX.


Martha and I have been married for over 52 years. Did it all turn out just the way we had envisioned? No, but we can honestly say that with the Lord’s help, we have had a really good experience. I have learned that is not the case with many marriages. Many women live with difficult men, and many men live with difficult women. Because of this, some spouses resort to a variety of ways to cope with their situations. Too often one spouse hides problems or makes excuses for the offending spouse, thereby enabling him or her to continue the bad behavior.

This lesson studies Abigail as one of the “Profiles in Character.” She must have been her father’s pride and joy because her name means “my father rejoiced.” She was the wife of Nabal [NAY bal], whose name means “fool,” “rude,” or “ill-bred.” Evidently his character matched his name as he was a foolish, harsh, and difficult man. Abigail used her wit, wisdom, and discernment to deal with the problems while remaining faithful to her husband and content to leave her future in God’s hands.

This lesson considers Abigail’s experience as unique. Her experience is not a template on how another wife should deal with her difficult spouse. The main point of this lesson is that Abigail acted wisely in her situation in a manner that was suited to her God-given personality and abilities. Whatever situation of discord in a relationship you may face, the proper questions to ask are “What is wise in my case?” and “What course of action does God’s wisdom indicate I should take in my particular situation?”