¹⁰ Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. ¹¹ Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?”
- 1 Samuel 25:10-11
 
Nabal’s words cut to David’s heart.
 
He belittled David. He insulted David. He mocked David’s kingly action. He disrespected David. And disrespected people become dangerous people.
 
When have you been disrespected?
 
David flew into a blind rage and set out to make a violent example of Nabal. Anger is, to paraphrase Eugene Peterson, an accurate reflection that something has gone wrong; the only problem is that anger doesn’t tell us whether the “something that has gone wrong” is out in the world or buried in our hearts (or both). 
 
Some of us get angry when we’re disrespected. Others of us turn in on ourselves, curl into the fetal position, and acts as if we deserve the disrespect. Some stonewall. Some put on a laughing face. Some pretend they can just shrug it off. But swimming in a sea of disrespect is hazardous for the soul.
 
What do you do when you’re disrespected?
 
Jesus shows us a beautiful, healthy, hard way to respond to disrespect. When he was belittled (“Isn’t this the son of Joseph?”) or insulted (“It’s by the devil that he casts out demons!”) or mocked (“Come down from that cross and save yourself”), he refused to agree with the false identities imposed on him, challenged the picture painted of him, and stayed true to be who God called him to be. But nothing indicates that this was easy for Jesus. It created conflict, turmoil, crucifixion, and – ultimately – salvation for each of us.
 
Take some time today to ask Jesus to fill you with his Spirit so that you can respond in beautiful, healthy, hard ways when you encounter disrespect in the world.