Date: August 27, 2023
Abigail: A Woman of Wisdom
The Point: Step in to keep a bad situation from getting worse.
Get Into the Study
As you recap the content in “The Bible Meets Life,” share the following.
For LaQuista Erinna, it seemed like a bad situation was about to get worse. Her autistic 7-year-old son Jackson needed a haircut, but he wanted no part of it. Often overwhelmed by sensory experiences, haircuts were the worst for Jackson. On this particular day he was also hungry, frustrated by a traffic jam, and upset about leaving his headphones at home. It was a perfect storm. When the time came to put him in the barber chair, he had a fit.
But a barber named Ree saved the say. LaQuista had decided to give the situation five minutes at the barber shop before going home. Attempting a haircut that day was a fool’s errand, she thought. Then Ree turned the haircut into a game. She would shave some hair off Jackson as he stood in one spot. Then he would wipe the hair off himself, and they would run to a new spot where they repeated the routine. The haircut game worked. Pretty soon the entire haircut was finished. The video went viral on social media, and LaQuista found herself the subject of media interviews.
“When they got finished, like, he was so happy,” LaQuista said of her son. “And he was like, well, can we go back tomorrow and play the game? I was like, I don’t know about tomorrow, but we’ll be back in a couple weeks.”
In this lesson we will study how a woman named Abigail avoided a potential pitfall in an even more profound way.
- https://www.npr.org/2023/08/08/1192750282/a-barber-turns-haircuts-into-a-game-to-help-a-boy-with-autism-get-through-them
- https://hiddenbrain.org/unsunghero/laquista-erinnas-story/
Study the Bible
Share the following after discussing Question 5.
Christians generally should not follow Congress’ lead on conflict resolution. But the U.S. House of Representatives’ Modernization Subcommittee (ModCom for short) may be an exception. The committee began in 2019 as the House Select Committee on Modernization of Congress with a mission to help Congress function more smoothly. As impossible as the task seemed, the committee achieved what The Washington Post called “shocking function” and Roll Call dubbed a “parallel congressional universe.” Split evenly between Democrats and Republicans, the committee nonetheless made 202 recommendations in four years, more than 130 of which have been implemented.
Listening was key to ModCom’s success. They decided to sit in a roundtable format rather than on a high dais. Democrats and Republicans sat interspersed with each other rather than on opposite sides of the room. The committee members ate dinner together every few months. They also shared cell phone numbers with colleagues of the opposing party (a rarity in Congress). They advised Congress to cooperate similarly in other committees.
“I learned more in one hour in a modernization committee hearing than weeks sitting in every other committee venue,” Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minnesota) said. “We learned by conversation—not confrontation. It was the most profoundly meaningful and gratifying time I’ve spent in Congress.”
If politicians succeed by following the conflict resolution patterns of Abigail, what success might the Spirit-filled church of Christ achieve by listening and kindness?
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/02/09/house-modernization-committee-bipartisan-collaboration-lessons/
- https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/rep-derek-kilmer-strives-for-constructive-change-in-congress/
- https://rollcall.com/2023/02/02/its-back-modernization-panel-finds-a-new-home-under-house-administration/
This week’s writer for Extra is David Roach. David is pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church in Saraland, Alabama. He and his wife Erin have three children.
Study the Bible [Option from Young Adult Leader Guide]
Play this song to introduce the group to the session and start a conversation about how our words can bring peace and healing. This song will provide the group an opportunity to consider the role our words play in peace and healing as in the example of Abigail.
Additional Questions
Icebreaker
- When has someone stepped in to keep a problem in your life from becoming a disaster?
- What’s the most unexpected encounter you’ve had with a stranger in public?
- When has someone stepped in to keep a problem in your life from becoming a disaster?
- How do you respond when you hear “It’s none of your business?”
- Who’s someone you want in your corner when trouble is brewing?
1 Samuel 25:14-17
- Why should believers be conscious of their reputations?
- What did it say about Abigail’s character that the man felt comfortable going to her? What did it say about Nabal’s character and reputation that the man did not go to him instead?
- How can we tell when situations need to be left alone, and when they need action?
- What does “consider carefully” look like in your life?
- What factors help you decide when to step in and when to be silent?
- What makes someone the kind of person people turn to for help?
- What impresses you about Abigail in these verses?
1 Samuel 25:23-28
- How can focusing on God’s plans and purposes de-escalate disagreements?
- What do we learn about how to share godly wisdom from Abigail’s example?
- How can our pride get in the way of wisdom?
- What can we learn from Abigail’s approach?
- How does humility help to reconcile people in conflict?
1 Samuel 25:32-35
- What is the connection between humility and choosing to follow godly wisdom?
- How can we distinguish between godly wisdom and worldly wisdom?
- Where do you see opportunities in your community for Christians to step in and keep a bad situation from getting worse?
- When have you seen God speak wisdom through others?
- What does it take to step in and get involved?
- Where in our culture do you see opportunities for Christians to help resolve conflicts?
- What lessons can we learn from Abigail as we seek to make peace today?
For Those in Your Group
Send the following link to your group members as either a teaser before the group meets or as a follow-up thought:
“It’s None of Your Business” Doesn’t Belong in the Church
Magazine Article
This article complements the study. Share this link with your group members.
- HomeLife – Speak Truth …
Podcast
Click here for a 20-minute podcast for both the group member and the leader.
Podcast (adultsleadertraining): Play in new window | Download
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