I Samuel 25:25 “’Please do not let my lord pay attention to this worthless man, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name and folly is with him; but I your maidservant did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent.’”

How could such an intelligent, beautiful woman like Abigail (verse 3 describes her that way) marry a foolish man like Nabal. Even his name meant foolish or disgrace. Now, here she is trying to cover for him by sending gifts to David to avoid bloodshed.

As Parents, we want our children to marry someone who loves Jesus. We want their spouse to be wise and discerning. We want them to be protective and loyal. I am willing to bet that Nabal was none of these. And here was Abigail, seemingly stuck in this marriage to a “fool.”

How do we protect our children from making a similar mistake in their choice for a life mate? Well, this story might be a good one to share. We don’t know all the details of how she came to be married to Nabal. Perhaps, as was common to that time, it was an arranged marriage. Perhaps, when he was younger he swept her off her feet. However it happened, here she was.

Our guidance will only go so far when we counsel our children in this area. But it is still our responsibility to speak up and advise. The Lord expects us to give wise counsel to our children. The best counsel we can give, however, is to be the kind of husband or wife the Lord desires for our spouse, your children’s mom or dad. When they see you living out a godly marriage, they will be drawn to a godly spouse.

So, don’t be a Nabal. Be wise, for your future son-in-law or daughter-in-law’s sake.