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Topic: Amen - Mane - Mean - Name (07/10/25)
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TITLE: Down-Right Mean and Ungrateful | Previous Challenge Entry
By Lakella Davenport
07/16/25 -
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There are two stories in the Bible that come to mind when I think of someone who was mean and ungrateful. The first one is a parable told by Jesus in the New Testament (The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant), and the second story is the story of Nabal, David and Nabal’s wife Abigail.
In the Parable of the Unforgiving servant, Jesus is teaching the Apostle Peter the importance of forgiving others, especially your brethren. In the preceding verses of Matthew 18 verses 21-22, Peter asks Jesus how often you shall forgive your brother when he sins against you. Jesus tells Peter, “Until seventy times seven.” The servant in the Parable of the Unforgiving servant is mean and ungrateful. The unforgiving servant had owed a certain king “ten thousand talents,” (Matthew 18:24). However, he did not have the money to pay his lord, the king, back. So, the king ordered that he and his wife, and his children, and all that he had be sold, and “for payment to be made,” (Matthew 18:25). “The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all, Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt,” (Matthew 18:26-27).
This servant was mean in that he went out and found one of his “fellow servants” that owed him a lesser amount of money and demanded that the servant pay him all his debt. “But the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, pay me that thou owest, And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord after that he had called him said, unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst me: shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses,” (Matthew18:28-35).
The second story of a mean and ungrateful man is that of Nabal in I Samuel chapter 25 of the Old Testament. David’s men protected the sheep and possessions of Nabal while Nabal and his men were in Carmel shearing or removing/cutting the wool off of his sheep. David’s men allowed no harm to come to Nabal, Nabal’s possessions and his men, while Nabal was in Carmel. They did so without being asked or being told to do so. David in turn, sends ten young men out to meet Nabal and to ask Nabal to have favor upon David and his men by sending David and his men a gift of gratitude (whatever came into his mind to give David and his men) (I Samuel 25:1-8). Nabal was mean and selfish. Nabal refused to give David and his servants food to eat and water to drink. He refused to give them anything for watching out for him, his men, and his possessions. David’s young men let David know Nabal’s mean and ungrateful response (I Samuel 25:10-12).
This angered David and David took his men and set in his heart to kill Nabal, and all that Nabal possessed (his whole household). One of Nabal’s men hurried and told Nabal’s wife, Abigail, how mean and selfish Nabal was toward David and his men and of David’s plans to return evil toward Nabal and Nabal’s whole household (I Samuel 25: 13-17). Abigail tries to appease David, and his men of their anger told Nabal. Abigail gathers a noteworthy gift of various foods and wine to offer David and his David’s men (I Samuel 25:18). David accepts her gift. Abigail saves the lives of Nabal and Nabal’s whole household by taking responsibility for Nabal’s harsh actions toward David and his men (I Samuel 25:18-43).
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