Vital signs- Monday, June 19th, 2023

Yes, Samson hits rock bottom. But we need to understand: Samson didn’t ruin his life all at once. He ruined it one step at a time. In fact, when we begin to wander away from God, we all seem to start with the same three small steps:

Step 1: Taunting our enemy. Samson enters into enemy territory (again) to visit a “user friendly” woman (a prostitute). When he leaves the city, he takes the city gate with him (their symbol of security). Why? Just to taunt them.

Step 2: Rationalizing our sins. Some people justify their sin based on how “clean” the rest of their life is: This is my ONE vice. Other people justify it as something private: It’s MY business, not yours. Some write their own rulebook: I can look at the menu, as long as I don’t order anything. And some people blame others: If she/ he would do THAT, then I wouldn’t have to do THIS.

Step 3: Assuming our disobedience won’t cost us. Just like Samson, we keep thinking, I’ll just do the same thing I did last time. I’ll shake myself free. But our sins always overtake us eventually and overpower us. Your sin will find you out.

Samson was a warrior strong enough to kill a thousand men. He was strong enough to rip a lion apart with his bare hands. He was strong enough to pull 700-hundred-pound doors from their posts and carry them off. But in the end, he wasn’t strong enough to lead the people he should have been leading.

Don’t settle for being strong in your career. Don’t settle for being strong in your hobbies or at some sport. Don’t settle for being strong physically. Instead, focus your strength on leading those around you toward righteousness.

A lot of people seem to think they can keep getting away with doing the same things over and over. They let their emotions and their impulses dictate their actions. Samson kept going to places he shouldn’t, chasing forbidden women, antagonizing his enemies, and then justifying his bad behavior (through lust, anger, or revenge). He suffered a few emotional consequences, but nothing that ever cost him the one thing he seemed to care about most, that thing he relied on: his strength. Until it did.

Don’t let that be you. Don’t settle for being strong at things that don’t last and weak at things that do. Tap into the warrior within. Don’t fight meaningless battles. Fight for what matters most. Fight for your faith. Fight for your family. Fight for your life.

“As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭26‬:‭11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Team Wade loves you and praying for you ❤️👊