By David Faust

Samson had it all. He was part athlete, part playboy, part warrior, and partly a man of God. His name is synonymous with extraordinary feats of strength and an outside-the-boundaries lifestyle. He tangled with lions, battled with Philistines, pursued beautiful women, and bantered with party guests. Long before someone coined the phrase, “Just Do It,” that’s how Samson conducted his life.

Yet the man who had it all eventually lost it all. Fearless and unstoppable at the beginning, eventually he was chained, sightless, and helpless—no longer a hero but a laughingstock. Samson’s admirable qualities, his extraordinary physical strength and keen sense of justice, were overshadowed by two serious flaws: 1—He lived an undisciplined life. 2—He trusted an unreliable person.

An Undisciplined Life

Unable to restrain his impulses, Samson made shortsighted decisions that kept his life in a constant uproar. He ignored his parents’ counsel and allowed sexual desire to overwhelm his good judgment. Samson had no business even flirting with a Philistine woman, but when he saw an attractive woman, he had to have her. When he saw something good to eat, he wanted it—now. His chiseled physique didn’t make him strong enough to withstand the tears of a person determined to manipulate him (Judges 14:16, 17).

When his anger flared, watch out. To get back at the Philistines, Samson caught 300 foxes, tied their tails together, and set them on fire. Can you imagine how much effort that took? A cycle of retaliation makes things harder for anyone involved. Samson’s thirst for revenge led to a nasty combination of cruelty to animals, the destruction of crops, and human death (15:3-8).

“Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame” (Proverbs 13:18). Good looks and rare talent mean little if they’re not coupled with personal discipline. Our lives may not be as tumultuous as Samson’s, but we all need the Holy Spirit’s assistance to increase our self-control.

An Unreliable Person

Delilah was seductive in looks and smooth with her words, but she lacked integrity and she loved riches more than she loved Samson. Shrewdly she chipped away at his defenses until he revealed the secret of his great strength. Like Judas, she betrayed him for silver. One of the last sights his eyes ever saw was the mocking face of the woman he loved, her feet covered with his freshly cut hair and her hands heavy with an ill-gotten fortune. She watched as the Philistines led this once powerful man away to prison—blind, bald, and broken.

Some people shouldn’t be trusted. There are many Delilahs in this world, both male and female, eager to con the naïve and persuade the gullible. Jesus warned, “Be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). John cautioned, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1).

Samson’s muscles and his long hair weren’t the ultimate source of his power. He lost his strength because he broke his vow to God. When he regained his strength, it wasn’t because his hair grew back, but evidently because he renewed his commitment to God (Judges 16:28).

The saga of Samson reminds us to be careful whom we trust and to welcome God’s discipline instead of relying on our own strength. Without the Lord no one “has it all.”

David Faust serves as the Associate Minister at East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Based on International Sunday School Lesson, © 2013, by the Lesson Committee. Scripture quotations are from the New International Version ©2011, unless otherwise indicated.

As you apply today’s Scripture study to everyday life, read Engage Your Faith by David Faust and the correlating Evaluation Questions.