Those “immortal” lines I paraphrase above, came from one of my favorite cartoon characters, the Pixar/Disney creation, Mister Incredible. In the movie, Mr. Incredible is wearing a microphone, being interviewed by a TV person about his heroic exploits. He apparently was born with super-powers, including unbelievable strength and stamina, as well as a physical body virtually impervious to harm. Incredible indeed!
My affection for super-heroes goes w-a-a-a-y back. I forget whether it was George Reeves’ old TV portrayals of the Man of Steel, or the comic book version of Superman that got me hooked, often running around the house with a bath towel around my neck, pretending I was flying, and, at least vaguely, wondering if I could launch myself into the sky literally from the top of my back porch steps…
Supported in my childish daydreams by an equally fascinated older brother, we began collecting comic books about such improbable characters as Flash (“The Fastest Man Alive!”), Green Lantern (His power ring could project any imaginable object, composed of green energy!), The Fantastic Four (Their powers involved stretching, turning invisible, bursting into flame, and clobbering people as a Thing made up of rocks!), and of course, “Your friendly neighborhood” Spider-Man (Wall-crawling, web-shooting, etc.).
Anyway, it took Disney far too many years to catch on to the appeal of super-heroes to moviegoers. The Incredibles (both 1 and 2) explored a “what if” world in which “supers” abound and, due to a battery of lawsuits, are driven underground by an act of Congress. Mr. Incredible (and his super family) come out of hiding to face a threat called Syndrome, who creates an attack robot that only he can neutralize. The robot runs amok and the Incredibles save the day as they work together, combining the powers they have hidden for so long.
This fanciful journey into my love of super-heroes was brought on this morning as I heard part of Robert Godfrey’s series about Samson, Israel’s final judge in the latter part of the Old Testament book of Judges. I’ve found his series on Samson fascinating for a number of reasons, chief of which is Samson’s ordination by God Himself, and the repeated mistakes and rebellious acts that nearly made Samson a walking disaster.
I relate to Samson in so many ways. And, in many ways, Samson’s weaknesses represent those of the entire Israelite nation throughout its history. Surrounded by enemies who worshiped a variety of false gods, they were continually within ear-shot and eye-shot of temptation to idolatry.
During the days of the Judges, Israel drifted away from the teachings of their great leaders, Moses and Joshua. Indications are that they rarely, if ever, visited Shiloh, the site ordained for the erection of the Tabernacle once they’d conquered the Promised Land of Canaan. The dismal watch-word in this Old Testament book: “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
Very apropos for the judge named Samson, for it was always “his own eyes” that got him into trouble. Seduced and deceived by Delilah (whose name means “flirty” by the way! No, really!), Samson strung her along when she, in the employ of the Philistines, asked him to reveal the secret of his super-strength. After teasing her with some false explanations, he finally “revealed to her his whole heart” and betrayed his secret to her.
Samson’s love for Delilah was a one-way street. “If you loved me,” she whined, you’d tell me everything! You’d tell me the truth!” Never in the text are we told that this woman loved Samson in return. To her, he was just a riddle to be solved for money. This makes me think of all the lovely ladies who plaster their wares over the internet. They and their filmmakers and producers are laughing at all the guys tuning in to have a peek. Laughing all the way to the bank!
Samson’s fall into idolatry wasn’t caused by some devotion to a god of wood or stone. It was by giving his love to a lying female devil named “Flirty.” The love he gave away was one he was called to reserve for God alone. He’d been set apart for divine service even before his birth. Much like Samuel…much like John the Baptist…much like Jesus of Nazareth.
Judges teaches me that, without our eyes in the right focus, we will always “manage to get into jeopardy again,” in Mr. Incredible’s semi-immortal words. Over and over again, the disunited tribes of Jacob failed to be satisfied with their one, true, exclusive Deity. They saw other worshipers around them having a ball with their gods and the illicit practices they enjoyed, and they tiptoed into those strange, forbidden temples of pleasure. They forsook the lessons of the past, the holy requirements of their loving, holy Savior and Lord. They had no human king to remind them of their heavenly One.
Like Samson, like Israel, you and I are no good on our own. We need the body of Christ to encourage us, to instruct us, to remind us, to challenge and warn us. We need the Word and the Holy Spirit to keep the Lord “always before my eyes” (Psalm 16:8). Otherwise, we are “flirting” with disaster just like Samson. Perhaps it was his own super-powered giftedness that made him so vulnerable. Like Simon Peter among Jesus’ twelve apostles, he might have thought, “I can handle it. I won’t fall. I’m capable of passing this test on my own.” Then, BOOM, denial…denial…denial…cock crowing.
Throughout Samson’s ministry as Israel’s final judge (not counting Samuel in the following book), he seemed to be denying his commission again and again and again. By what he looked at, by what he said, by what he did. But there were redeeming moments that made it clear that Yahweh was still at his right hand, ready to strengthen the poor sap when he came to his senses. Faltering, willful, foolish Samson was, for all his faults, GOD’S MAN. Sadly, it was by his death that he gained the ultimate victory over his enemies. Just as, by HIS death, our perfect, virtuous Savior gained HIS.
The word “judge,” as used in the Old Testament book, doesn’t really mean a person in a black robe who rules in a courtroom. It rather has the connotation of a chosen savior and leader who rallies the faithful for battle and eventually achieves victory. Praise the Lord that His choice of such leaders doesn’t always depend on their sterling character or flawless track records. Bone-headed “Samsons” like me are often the very people our gracious God might choose to rally the troops and gain the victory.
To me, that is truly the INCREDIBLE message of Samson’s life.
Blessings!
MNA
11/10/2022
No comments:
Post a Comment