Remember your first real crush … the flush of your face, the pounding of your heart, the shortness of breath at your first touch?
You were “in love” … or perhaps, more realistically, in love with love. Your heart was filled with excitement at the anticipation of holding hands and receiving a sweet goodnight kiss. Such were the days of innocence—the ways of “puppy love.” When infatuation turns to feverish passion, innocence can be lost. What you think is love turns out to be lust… an illusion of relational intimacy … a counterfeit of the lasting love that sustains a relationship. Too late, you learn there are great differences between lust and love.
“The rulers of the Philistines went to her [Delilah] and said, ‘See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him.’"
Judges 16:5
Samson was God’s chosen leader to deliver God’s chosen people from the oppression of the Philistines. Before his birth, the angel of theLord had announced to his parents that their son would be a judge over the Israelites and warned that he should not cut his hair, for if he did, he would lose his strength. However, instead of living to please his God, Samson lived to please himself. Rather than learning to exercise the discipline of “delayed gratification” (waiting until the right time and the right circumstance to do what is pleasurable), Samson insisted on instant gratification. Even in his early manhood, his mother and father appealed to their son…
- He had it all!
- He had the call of God, the anointing of God, the blessing of God, and the power of God … all at his fingertips.
- He had every opportunity to live an exemplary life—to be a hero throughout the annals of history.
- His parents established a positive home environment.
- They were sure he would be a strong leader—indeed, his extraordinary feats made him famous.In spite of great ability and great advantage, his moral failure led to his downfall.
- Throughout history, this infamous man will be remembered for both his immense strength and his immense weakness.
- How different the life of Samson would have been!
- If only he had withstood the test of sexual integrity—if only he had not succumbed to the lure of sexual seduction—a lure that led to his ultimate destruction.
- Instead of obedience, he chose disobedience; instead of self-denial, he chose self-indulgence.
“His father and mother replied, ‘Isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?’ But Samson said to his father, ‘Get her for me. She’s the right one for me.’ ”
Judges 14:3