My last post talks about how we want to read the whole Bible, not just our favorite parts.

I keep digging in the Bible and find yet another story about some dude named Sheba who figures he wants to rebel against King David. (II Sam. 20) The King and his men ride out to put a stop to Sheba’s nuisance behavior. Sheba runs to hide in a city called Abel Beth Maakah. The King’s men start beating on the wall until a “wise woman” yells out to get the leaders attention. She asks, What is the deal here with all your noise and trouble making?

The leader answers, We want Sheba.

The woman rolls her eyes and says, Give me a little time. The Wise Woman goes into the city, finds Sheba, gets his head cut off, and then throws the head over the wall. The men bent on making a huge scene, left town. Peace was restored.

Bible story number three. In Judges 9 we read about Abimelek, a ruler in the land of Shechem who was bent on becoming king. At one point, his ambitious plan was looking promising, but he had to kill anyone who challenged his authority. During a battle, a woman dropped a millstone on his head, crushing his skull. Abimelek knew he was a goner but hurried to ask his armorbearer to kill him off so it would not be said that he died at the hands of a woman. His action only confirmed that conceit has no equal, but kills itself under the weight of aplomb and grace, ingredients which are equally expressed through both men and women.