Last week began a new series called “Messy Spirituality/ A Series for Imperfect Christians”, a.k.a.-you and I. I am so thankful that God meets us in the middle of our mess. We all have messes in our lives. Some we are very aware of and other messes we have grown accustomed to. They are hiding out in our blind spot.
This week we are looking at the mess of pride. We are returning to the Old Testament to look at a very familiar man, Samson. We begin with the text Judges 13:1-5 (NIV) We see that the Israelites have done evil in God’s sight and He delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years. This is a very common pattern that we see repeated often in the Old Testament. (God allows the Israelites to go their own way, they get conquered, they cry out to God and then God sends someone to rescue them). Keep this in mind as we look at Samson. In Judges 13:2-5 we read that a man named Manoah and his wife were childless. However, God sends a messenger to Manoah’s wife telling her that she will have a son and some very specific instructions as he will be a Nazarite (one who is set apart). Judges 5b “He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.” Samson is going to be one of the deliverers for Israel. Numbers 6 tells us about the Nazarite vow: 1) Do not cut the hair of your head. 2) Avoid any alcohol or even fruit of the vine. 3)Don’t touch a dead carcass of any kind. Pastor Adam made note that Samson didn’t choose to take this vow, it was chosen for him, by God!
IN looking at the life of Samson we see this mess of pride… There can be two sides to pride. On the one hand, there is arrogance-thinking too highly of yourself. The other side of the coin is insecurity and the need to always prove yourself to others. We see the arrogant side of Samson in that he is physically powerful and yet we also see his need to prove himself and show off and that he is offended by others doubting him. Pride also causes people to resist listening to the counsel of other people because if we have pride, how could we ever admit we have a weak area or a need?
We are going to dive deeper this week and take a look at how pride trips us up and also see some steps we can take to invite God in to help us.
Monday:
Let’s take a look at Judges 14:1 “Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman.” Timnah was not too far from where Samson lived and a woman caught his eye. So much so that we read in Judges 14:2,” When he returned, he said to his father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.” He demanded that what he wanted he should have. His parents knew that marrying a pagan was forbidden by God. Let’s see what his parents say about this and how Samson responds to them. Judges 14:3, “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.” It seems as though his parents tried to help him see he had a blindspot, however, he disregards what they have to say.
Reflection/Action:
One of the first points Pastor Adam makes is that “Pride resists listening to the counsel of others.” Take some time to consider the mess of pride. The arrogance and the insecurity. The defensiveness and demanding. Have you been sliding this mess under the rug? Pushing it back, thinking that if you can’t see it, it isn’t really there? Have others that know you and care about you, tried to help you and give you feedback? Take some time and ask God to show you any roots of pride? Allow Him to bring the mess into full view, knowing it’s out of love for you. Remembering it’s because He longs for the best for you.
Tuesday:
Samson has disregarded his parents' attempt to “redirect” him and he likes this Philistine woman. Judges 14:7 “Then he went down and talked with the woman, and he liked her.” In order to help combat pride in our life, it is important to have someone who is able to speak the truth to us. Someone who gives us wise counsel. Of course, the final decision is ours. Samson made his decision. Keep in the mind the Nazarite vow. It is very much about the spiritual direction of Samson’s life, but let’s see how it is actually playing out in “real time”. Let’s look at Judges 14:5b-6, “As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. 6) The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done. “ We see in Judges 14:8-9 he went back to marry the young lady and he comes across the lion carcass and there is a honeycomb inside and he eats some of the honey (he is to avoid dead carcasses) and gives some to his parents. Notice also that the Scripture says he did not tell his parents of either incident, killing the lion and getting the honey out of the lion. He is compromising. The little messes are growing.
Reflection/Action:
The second point Pastor Adam shared about pride is that pride compromises in small areas. Have you found yourself moving forward with a decision you had your mind set on, despite feeling inside it was not the right decision? Do you feel that those few steps into the “vineyard” have led to messes that are slowly growing and getting out of hand? Are you covering up things that you know are wrong? Compromise is a slippery slope and Christ wants us to have our feet on a firm foundation. Ask the Lord to forgive you and to help you.
Wednesday:
Samson is going to marry the woman from the Philistines and he has 30 groomsmen. He decides to make a little bet. Let’s read Judges 14:12-13 “Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes. 13 If you can’t tell me the answer, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.” It plays out that the men could not solve the riddle, they went to his fiancé and threatened her and her family’s lives. She cried and convinced him to give her the answer. She in turn gave it to the men who in turn gave the correct answer to Samson. He was so angry, that he went and killed thirty men and gave their outfits to the wedding party, and did not even show up for his own wedding. “Pride is easily offended”. And offense is so very, very detrimental. When we are offended, we make it all about us. It is a very dangerous place to be. We continue on in Judges 15. He wants his fiancé back. The one he stood up at the altar and she married one of the groomsmen. He vows to get even with the Philistines, ties the tails of 300 foxes together, and sets them on fire. They destroy the fields (livelihood) of the Philistines. Offense can lead to vengeful behavior. This mess of pride is growing and destroying not only Samson but anyone in his offended way.
Reflection/Action:
When we allow offense into our lives it festers and it grows and can even spread to others. We may feel so cheated and feel unfairly treated to the point of really not seeing our own role in the whole mess. When we are offended we don’t want to forgive, we want the other people to pay. And most of the time the one that ends up with the “short end” is us. Ask God to show you any offense you may have taken. Are there people you just can hardly think of without a physical reaction of anger or unforgiveness? Speak your prideful offense out loud to God and ask Him to help you let it go and forgive.
Thursday:
Samson had a call upon his life. The messenger of the Lord told Samson’s mother that she would have a son and that he would be Israel’s deliverer from the Philistines. He had a purpose to fulfill. However, this mess of pride was preventing him from seeing his weakness. This was another point Pastor Adam made about pride. In Judges 16 we read about Samson’s one-night stand and then how he met Delilah. Are we seeing a weakness that Samson has? Women who are not who God intended for him to be keeping company with. Money was offered to Delilah in return for revealing the secret of Samson’s great strength. Judges 16:15-16 says: “Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength.” 16 With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it.” This strong man Samson caved under the nagging of Delilah and he just wants her to stop so he says in Judges 16:17, “So he told her everything. “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazarite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.” This was about the vow to be a Nazarite more than it was about his hair. He allowed pride from seeing the weakness he had and it took a very sad turn. His head was shaved and he was overpowered. Judges 16:20b, “He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him.”
Reflection/Action:
Judges 16:20b is a very heavy verse. Take some time to consider the mess of pride as it prevents us from seeing (admitting) our weaknesses. Does it help to know that God already knows your weakness? And most likely the person (people) you are trying to hide your weaknesses from, may already see them too. We dig a hole that is hard to climb out of as we cling to the mess of pride and refuse to look at our weaknesses. Again, the Lord knows, He wants you to come and confess it out loud to Him. There is such power in coming to the Light and walking out of the darkness of self-deceit.
Friday:
Pastor Adam encouraged us to consider some questions. We will look at two today and two tomorrow.
Today take some time to consider these two questions:
Do I listen to the counsel of others?
Do I compromise on small things?
Reflection/Action:
Read Proverbs 19:20, “Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. This verse speaks of the importance of seeking out and listening to the counsel of others.
Also, read Mark 8:34 “And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” This is the first step in overcoming compromising in your life.
Saturday:
Today take some time to consider these two questions:
Am I easily offended?
Am I aware of my weaknesses?
Reflection/Action:
Read Proverbs 12:16 “Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult.” This verse does not beat around the bush, it just tells it like it is.
Read 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” Samson had a call, you do also, allow the Spirit to show you your weaknesses.
Let’s look at the end of Samson’s life. He ended up in Philistine custody, his hair cut, his eyes gouged out. He is chained between two pillars in the temple. And we read in Judges 16:28 “ Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” He still wanted to get revenge, but he did cry out to God.
Cry out to God today. It’s not too late. You are not too far gone. Jesus loves you and wants to set you free of the mess of pride.