Samson vs. Joseph – Part 1

These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. 1 Corinthians 10:11

Over the next two days I’m comparing and contrasting two Bible characters to draw out some interesting wisdom. First, Sir Samson. He was the product of a miracle (see Judges 13), brought up by godly parents and most famous for his supernatural strength. If he was the strong, all round superman of a guy that we often see depicted, he’d probably be all over the tabloids today. Yet he ended up failing miserably (see Judges 16). Why? He didn’t pray. Most of the time, he relied on his own strength and wisdom rather than God’s. The only time there’s a mention about Samson praying was when he was in trouble. Ring a bell? We can’t be surprised if we live according to our will only, and then wonder why we’re in a mess.

There’s another big decision-making lesson we can learn from him. Rather than being led by God’s Word, he was led by his feelings to marry the wrong woman, who eventually betrayed him. Being led by your emotions before checking in with God might feel ‘right’ for a short while, but never turns out too well. Samson sought revenge, but Joseph prayed for those who hurt him. Samson was motivated by greed, whereas Joseph worked hard.

Why mention these things? If it can happen to Samson, it can happen to us. Remember, we can rely on God’s Grace and Mercy to be there when we realize we have screwed up!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to learn from Samson – help me to learn quicker than Samson. Thank You for Your Grace and Mercy each day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen