So I was talking to a friend recently; and amongst the topics of discussion came up the issue of Samson—in particular, a few words she said got to me real deep. The question or statement in essence was this; when we read the story of Samson, and how he got himself shorn of his hair by Delilah, it seems Samson was real dumb-that when she asked him the secret of his strength, whatever he told her; she did. She did not hide the idea that she was out to rid him if His power, yet He told her anyway and led himself out of the security of his calling in God into the loneliness of a sombre prison cell.
If you are anything like me, this maybe the only light in which you have seen this story and you simply cannot find the right superlative to define the wisdom-or lack thereof of Samson. And hence, this blog-post arises; do we realise the lesson in this? And do we see the realities that we live today that mirror what Samson did; taking us out of our positions and places of peace and influence into solitary confinements of anguish and heartache? Can we correctly identify the modern day Delilah, who by her seductive ways has lured us out of the strength of our God given callings and led us into chains of meaningless monotony?
For instance: I will site alcohol, pornography, television, bitterness, malice, fornication, sensuality(friends with benefits), vengefulness, disrespect, dishonor and apathy. Are we not aware of the destructive effects that any of these have on our happiness? Are we not aware of the damage that having a “close friend” can have on a relationship and of the way it can cause trust to quickly be replaced by a wall of mistrust and anger? But yet why do we choose to insist that we are a “modern” generation and people as if we have lost the capacity to either hurt or be hurt by the actions of those we love? Are we not aware of how too much time in front of a screen simply put takes away our effectiveness by robbing us of the time to develop our talents and our relationships? And yet we insist on watching “what I want, when I want because it’s my life?
Statistic after statistic has shown that sleeping together before marriage very greatly increases the likelihood of infidelity in marriage; decreases the general joy to be found in marriage as well as has a very strong correlation with divorce—yet we want to insist that waiting for marriage is “out of fashion” and for those who are “afraid of sex” or “prudish.” The bible exhorts us to meet as brethren; as the church regularly for it is to our great benefit—but we want to insist that we can go at it alone; from the corner of my house somewhere and just be ok doing me. Really???
And what about this one; the notion that I was hurt too much to be able to forgive, therefore it cannot be reasonable to expect me to forgive. Or the idea that because I am angry, my screaming and shouting of whatever comes to my mind to whomever is valid; and that they should just “suck it up.” Or even the idea that I must take a shot back at them for doing this to me! How could they? Do we not know that deciding to be bitter is a slow poison to oneself, that it causes affliction to one’s own self and that no good thing can come from it? Do we not see it even in the face of “scientific” evidence that stress is a personal invitation to problems for oneself? And yet we insist on not forgiving-on holding on to the pain and the bitterness because somehow somewhere we have been seduced into believing that this is what caring for oneself means…much like Delilah asked Samson, “How can you say you love me? when your heart is not with me and you have not told me wherein your strength lies?” (An interesting point to note also is that Delilah did not ask for or look for Samson; but he searched her out because he loved her—but that is a story for another day)
Now having said, I must come to the moral of my blog today—and no; it is not to judge and condemn anyone for anything they may have done—but to call to attention the fact that like Samson, you and I have a calling and a destiny to beat the enemy; to live in peace, to do good works in the name of our Lord and Savior and to see His will expressed on the earth through our lives. So let us keep our eyes on the prize; let us weigh accurately the significance of our call and the grace He has given us that we may be able to discern the insignificance of these seductive distractions and that we may cast them aside and live lives that are worthy of his goodness bestowed on us.
Let us realize that the enemy remains out there to steal, kill and destroy; and no matter how good his seduction may initially look (Delilah was beautiful, and for some reason I think she had a good voice(just my thought there); she also was able to sweet talk and soothe Samson into sleeping on her lap(Judges 16:19)), it will ultimately lead us out of the will of God (wherein there is love, peace and joy), into a prison of our enemy’s making.
Selah.