Readings for today: Judges 13-15, Psalms 74
Samson is a cautionary tale. He is not a man to be emulated or admired. He is not a man to try to pattern one’s life from. He is not a shining example of faith. Yes, he’s mentioned in the great “Hall of Fame” of faith in the Book of Hebrews but he’s simply a broken man whom God uses for His purposes in the world. He’s yet another example of how God has sovereignly chosen to work through humanity to restore a ruined world.
Samson is often extolled for his strength. I remember hearing stories of this man when I was growing up as a boy. Sunday school teachers would talk about how powerful he was, how many battles he won, and how many enemies he killed. I was enraptured by a man who could take on a lion, put city gates on his back, and bring down a temple. I was fascinated by the Nazarene vow he took and how his strength was tied to the keeping of that vow by not cutting his hair. However, what my well-intentioned Sunday school teachers missed was the utter disdain Samson held for the God he served. He treated God like a pagan deity. He only seemed interested in God when it served his purposes. His life reflects none of the devotion and love one would expect from a spiritual leader of Israel. Samson was a brutal, violent man. He was as undisciplined as they come, especially as it related to sexual desire. He shows little to no regard for the laws of Israel.
If I am honest, I see some of the same dynamics in my own life. I’ve been blessed beyond all measure. I live in one of the wealthiest communities in the world and have access to all kinds of incredible people. I’ve been given more opportunities than I could possibly take advantage of professionally. I’ve been given a great education. I serve an incredible church. My marriage is strong and my relationships with all four of my kids is deep and intimate. In short, God has absolutely poured out His favor on me and still I squander so much of my time and talent and treasure on myself. I show too little regard for God’s Word or for prayer. I sometimes find myself treating God like a pagan deity, only talking to Him when it serves my own selfish purposes or when I am in trouble. And as much as I repent of these things on a daily basis, I find myself too often repeating the same mistakes over and over again.
If we’re honest, all of us can identify with Samson on some level. Perhaps that’s why his story resonates with us so much. All of us want to be the hero if we’re honest. We want to perform great things for God in this world. But all of us are undisciplined as well. We let our selfish desires get the best of us and we despise God at times just like Samson did. Now, does God still use us? Thankfully. But make no mistake, this is an act of grace. It is not something we earned by being faithful. Only God is truly faithful and He promises to use even our brokenness to accomplish His purposes in the world.
Readings for tomorrow: Judges 16-18, Psalms 75