Many years ago I had the chance to teach the Old Testament to an early morning "seminary" of 14-18 year olds. As I started studying the book, I was so impressed with each prophet that came along. But there is something special about Abraham. He has a really good heart that wants all the right things.
But as I have been reading the Old Testament as our course of study for the year in Sunday School, something different has impressed me. In Genesis 23, after Sarah dies, he has to find a place to bury her, and he asks his neighbors for help. When they help him and give him a place to bury his wife, he bows before them and thanks them and pays them, even though he is described by them as "a mighty prince among us."
After he has lovingly taken care of his wife, he turns to the welfare of his son, Isaac, and makes sure he is settled with a good wife and home, before looking to his own life.
I have been looking for the right word to describe this wonderful characteristic of Abraham, and the word gracious keeps coming to mind.
Much like Abraham, there are people in our day who are like "mighty princes" who enjoy wealth and celebrity. Some of them are gracious and some, not so much. Even if we are the farthest thing from "a mighty prince" we can follow Abraham's example of compassion, mercy, and kindness.
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