When Someone Asks Me for Money

And Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? . . . Shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men who come from I do not know where?” 1 Samuel 25:10-11

If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you’ve likely observed that I’m reading through the Bible, from beginning to end, picking a daily passage for the blog. I believe the Bible is God’s word and as such, it tells me how I should live. The challenge for me every day then, is to discover what God is trying to tell me. To that end, I daily read and meditate on the passage, seeking to understand God’s will. Often, I put myself in the story. What would I have done? Not surprisingly, it’s most natural for me to take the role of the story’s hero. In today’s passage for instance, David is the good guy and so, I naturally attempt to identify with him, asking if I’d have acted as he did.

If I’m honest about today’s passage though, I identify a lot more with Nabal – the villain of the story. In the passage, David sent messengers to Nabal, asking for food for his men. Previously, David had provided for Nabal’s men, and so, David hoped the favor would now be returned. We’re told Nabal was quite wealthy, but he was also harsh, greedy, and uncharitable. When David appealed to their common history – when David aided Nabal’s men – Nabal scoffed. I don’t owe you anything. Nabal behaved selfishly, acting in what he thought was his own best interest. Unbeknownst to him though, his greed would cost him dearly as God took his life 10 days later. Had Nabal seen the big picture, he would have understood that it was in his own best interest to give generously to David and his men.

What’s the lesson? A few weeks ago, an acquaintance boldly asked me for a significant sum of money. I had a decision to make – To give or not to give? Why or why not? Anytime someone asks me to part with my money, my first impulse is to say no. That’s my money. Like Nabal, I want to keep that which is mine. I don’t want to make the same mistake as Nabal though. I want to do God’s will. So, I prayed, meditated, and asked my wife and a trusted friend. Unlike Nabal, I wanted to see beyond my greed to do what was right. In the end, it became clear that giving was not the right thing, but I found peace in that decision because I sought God’s will, not my own. And that is often the lesson of the day – that my life is far better off when I do, not what Scott wants, but what God wants.