BEFORE “AN AHAB’ COMES KNOCKING

Reference text: 1 Kings 21:1-16

Negotiations often hinge on give and take. Depending on what is truly the end goal, either party locked in negotiations make appropriate concessions. However, there are some key things that remain off the table and in most cases, they could hold the key to break through.

As we are in a season where most topics revolve around football, a classic example is when teams negotiate the transfer of a player. In some cases, it is a player plus cash deal for another player. Often, some teams request for the inclusion of a specific player and if that player is off the table, they walk away from the deal.

Ahab seemed a reasonable king based on the text. He approached Naboth with quite a generous offer – ‘give me your vineyard because it is close to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard for it or if you prefer, I will give you it’s value in cash’. However, to Naboth, in this negotiation, the vineyard was off the table and so he refused the king’s offer. A very strong decision which perhaps, he would later regret.

The questions that came to mind even as I thought about this passage were:

• What things are worth holding on to even at the cost of your life?
• What things of yours are untradeable?
• What things do not form part of the bargaining chips in any of your negotiations?

These questions may seem philosophical, but before an Ahab comes to you with an offer, it would be wise to know which of your inheritances are off the table and worth holding on to because there will be a price to pay.

#sly