by Paula Geister

Created on: December 03, 2008

Many people's lives depicted in the Bible inspire us. Moses and Joshua for leading the Israelites into the promised land, Paul the Apostle for the many letters he wrote to the first century churches, and King Solomon for his wisdom are a few of the more prominent examples. I find the following more obscure examples, Abigail, Barnabas and Matthew, to be inspirational characters from the Bible as well.

Abigail is a woman first mentioned in 1 Samuel, chapter 25. She is married to a man named Nabal, a man who has, while under the influence of alcohol, insulted the anointed king David. Eager to avenge himself, David takes four hundred men and is ready to fight and kill Nabal and his whole household. Abigail's servants tell her about her husband's refusal to serve David with provisions and she takes matters into her own hands.

Refusing to tell her inebriated husband her plan, Abigail "lost no time. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs and loaded them on donkeys." All this she took to David and bowed before him asking that he forget the foolishness of her husband. She asked that he place the blame on her alone and forget his anger. She talks him into not killing everyone and taking the gift of food she offers.

Abigail inspires me because she is obviously a woman the servants believe they can trust. She must have shown good judgment in previous matters for them to come to her in such a dire strait. She also shows wisdom in not going to her husband with her plan. Anyone who's ever tried knows that it's useless to reason with someone who's drunk.

She had courage in dealing with David and his men and showed humility before him by giving credit to God for preserving his own life and for bringing him eventually into his rightful kingship. Her swift actions, wise words and humble attitude impressed David so much that he made her his wife when her foolish husband later died.

Barnabas is mentioned in Luke's account of the Acts of the Apostles. He is first mentioned in chapter four by his original name of Joseph and is credited with bringing to the apostles the money made from the sale of a field. The name Barnabas means "son of encouragement."

Later, Barnabas, earns his name when he hooks up with Paul, formerly a Pharisee named Saul who persecuted Christians. When no one else will befriend Paul because of his reputation, Barnabas risks his own reputation

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