Today's Card: A Woman's Wisdom on Your Behalf

From the story of Michal

Let me begin with a heartfelt apology for completely forgetting to post a card last week! ‘So sorry!

And now, back on track, Michal.

Her story:

There are a couple predominant scenes in her story—all worth reading—but I’m going to focus on only one of them today. More than enough for us to learn from and be inspired by!

Michal was the younger daughter of King Saul. Her sister, Merab, had been promised in marriage to David (a man that Michal secretly loved). At the last minute, Saul changed his mind and gave Merab to another man. David felt tricked, but Saul then offered Michal. And though there was a good deal of back and forth, a battle or two, and some wagers on behalf of the bride price, David and Michal were finally married.

Over time, Saul began to recognize just how powerful David was and how much Michal loved him. The combination of these two things only increased his jealousy and fear. One day Saul sat and listened to David play his harp, but instead of being soothed became so incensed that he hurled his spear at him. David dodged out of the way, left the spear stuck in the wall, then fled. Saul sent troops to watch David’s house and told them to kill him when he came out the next day. But Michal warned him saying, “If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead by morning.” She helped him climb out through a window and flee. Then she took an idol and put it in his bed, covered it with blankets, and made a cushion of goat’s hair for its head. When the troops came to arrest David, she told them he was sick and couldn’t get out of bed. Saul ordered, “Bring him to me in his bed so I can kill him!” When they came to carry David out, they discovered Michal’s ruse.

Saul then demanded of his daughter, “Why have you betrayed me like this and let my enemy escape?” “I had to,” she replied. “He threatened to kill me if I didn’t help him.” 

*****

A woman in love with the man promised to her sister then amazingly married to him anyway. A father who was out to kill her husband. A wife who fought to protect him in creative and stealth-like ways. It’s a crazy story with a plot line that rivals a good movie!

When we dig a bit deeper, though, Michal holds three distinctions that are worth our attention and respect: