Today’s Scripture Reading: Judges 11:29-15:20
Samson was just plain weird! I don’t know, maybe he was just a big tease but he sure didn’t seem “normal” to me.
In my opinion Samson…
- Seemed spoiled rotten and very demanding
- Thought he was all that
- Enjoyed making people look stupid
His father and mother objected. “Isn’t there even one woman in our tribe or among all the Israelites you could marry?” they asked. “Why must you go to the pagan Philistines to find a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me! She looks good to me.”
But,
God
had
a
plan
for
Samson’s life.
In those days a man named Manoah from the tribe of Dan lived in the town of Zorah. His wife was unable to become pregnant, and they had no children. The angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “Even though you have been unable to have children, you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son. So be careful; you must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.” Judges 13:2-5
Do you ever give a judgmental look at people and think, “They’re just plain weird. Surely, they’re not “God’s anointed?”
Samson’s poor parents. It must have been so hard for them. They loved to play by the rules. They even asked the Angel of the Lord about “the rules.”
So Manoah (Samson’s father) asked him (the Angel of the Lord) “When your words come true, what kind of rules should govern the boy’s life and work?” –Judges 13:12
Samson disobeyed rules for a hobby.
Samson’s parents must have been at their wit’s end because they didn’t know that God had a purpose for Samson’s weirdness.
His father and mother didn’t realize the Lord was at work in this, creating an opportunity to work against the Philistines, who ruled over Israel at that time. –Judges 14:4
Friends we need to be careful criticizing and judging “weirdness,” judging people who don’t act, think, or serve God like we do. It may be for the Glory of God.
Father, give us grace to understand people who have different ways of doing life than we do. Help us to realize, YOU made them. They fit perfectly in YOUR plan for them. You are God and we are not!
In Jesus’ Name. Amen and Amen!
©2012, Dianne Guthmuller
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Judges 16:1-18:31
Having just returned from Africa, this perspective on people who do things “differently” than us, is helpful. Thankyou!