Being A Princess With Dignity

She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.

Proverbs 31:25-26

If you look up the word dignity in the dictionary, it will tell you that dignity is the quality of being worthy of honor or respect. One woman in the Bible who had dignity was Abigail. She was married to Nabal, whose name meant “fool,” and he lived up to his name. He was a wealthy man with a large flock of sheep. During the time that David was on the run from King Saul, he and his 600 men camped near where Nabal kept his flock. Instead of stealing the sheep for food, David and his men helped keep thieves away.

At shearing time, Nabal had a big celebration for his men. David asked for food for his men, too, since they’d helped guard the sheep. Nabal not only turned David down but also ridiculed and insulted him. David became angry and said he’d kill all the men in Nabal’s household.

Fortunately, Nabal’s wife was no fool. She was a woman of dignity. And as today’s verse says about the noble woman, Abigail spoke with wisdom and kindness. When she heard what her husband had done, she got busy preparing food for David and his men. She also personally went to meet with him and talked him out of killing Nabal and the other men in his household.

Abigail reacted with strength, dignity, and wisdom in a time of trouble. It’s easier to maintain your dignity when things are going well, but how about when they’re going wrong? When a friend starts an argument, do you stay calm and in control of your emotions? When a teacher unfairly assigns extra homework, do you accept it without complaint? When you’re tired and cranky, do you still show respect to your parents and other family members?

The woman in today’s verse is a role model for how to live, deal with various situations, and interact with people. Abigail was also an example of how to have dignity, strength, and wisdom. As God’s princess, you can follow her example.

Read the story of Abigail, Nabal, and David in 1 Samuel 25. List the things Abigail did that showed she was a woman of dignity. Can you think of a time when you handled a problem with strength, wisdom, and dignity? Write about it.