Always Repay Kindness With Kindness, Generously!

1 Samuel 25:4-8(NKJV)

4When David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep, 

5David sent ten young men; and David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, go to Nabal, and greet him in my name. 

6And thus you shall say to him who lives in prosperity: ‘Peace be to you, peace to your house, and peace to all that you have! 

7Now I have heard that you have shearers. Your shepherds were with us, and we did not hurt them, nor was there anything missing from them all the while they were in Carmel. 

8Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a feast day. Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants and to your son David.’”

Seems like a reasonable request to me.  David is saying "Hey we protected your stuff without even being asked and now we are a bit down on our luck.  Can you help us out?".

Well Nabal tells them to pound sand.  He isn't going to give them anything.  David is extremely offended and he heads up there to kill every male member of Nabal's household.  Luckily Nabal's wife hears what is going on and prepares a generous portion of food for David's men.

She then intercedes and talks to David and convinces him not to take his revenge on her family.

See how much easier that was?  Be generous with your praise.  Be generous with your thank you's.  Be generous with your tips.  Be generous in all you do. 

Why?  Because you never know how that generosity will be  rewarded but one thing I can assure you, it will be.  Let's look at how it turned out for Abigail, Nabal's wife.  About 10 days later God struck Nabal dead.  David was so impressed with Abigail that he then took her as his wife.  So her kindness led to her being one of the wives of the King of Israel!