A man’s salutation can serve as the initial window to the condition of his heart. To understand this truth, consider Nabal's salutation concerning David.
The Bible often defines words through their associations. For instance, the words salute, saluteth, and salutation involve a greeting.
The world places a premium on the concept of living comfortably. For instance, people desire comfortable clothes, comfortable beds, comfortable cars, comfortable furniture, etc. The list is unending. There are even foods designated as “comfort foods.” Yet, with this great emphasis upon comfort, the world seems to experience so little of true comfort. So, what exactly is comfort? Why is speaking of comfort so trendy and yet so hard to achieve? The word comfort is easily defined by breaking it down into two parts: com and fort. The prefix com means “with” and the word fort means “strength.” Simply put, comfort involves a strength that a person can carry with him. Immediately, every Christian should recognize that very little true comfort exists in this world. True comfort stems from the Lord and not that offered outside of Him.
The Bible repeatedly teaches that faith is of paramount importance in the life of every believer. Furthermore, the Bible clearly specifies the origin of faith as “the word of God.” Unfortunately, most Christians understand little about the singular source of true faith. The Bible teaches that the believer’s faith increases only in proportion to his hearing of God’s words. Man may see things in this life that lead him toward doubt and dismay, yet the hearing of God’s word shrinks these doubts by building and strengthening faith. For instance, reading about the working of God in the lives of men like Moses, Joseph, and David, and women like Ruth, Hannah, and Sarah increases faith in God. These imperfect men and women displayed great faith because of God and His word. Remember that faith is a choice, but there is little opportunity for choice without the hearing of God’s word.
