January 23: Samson and Delilah

(SPECIAL GUEST POST FROM BEN ABRAHAM)

 

Friday , 23, 2012
Samson & Delilah

 

A Greek philosopher named Aristotle would have loved the story of Samson and Delilah . He would have loved it because the story seemed to fit his definition of the word TRAGEDY . Aristotle claimed that tragedy is the account of some strong human being who is destroyed by a single character flaw .

In today's scripture we read of Samson downfall. Delilah was in cahoots with her Philistine friends , who offered her big money to try to chain down the man who had become the symbol of strength to the Israelites . "Get him to tell you how he keeps all that strength," they pleaded .

Samson may have had big muscles , but he definitely didn't have Solomon's brains . Four times Delilah tried to subdue him before she finally won . You'd think he would have gotten the hint. The Bible says she nagged him so long he was " tired to death " . But he kept joshing alone . Why didn't he just threw Delilah out in her ear ? Why ? Because of his PRIDE !!

Aristotle had something to say about pride too . He claims that the one character flaw that most often leads the tragic hero to his downfall is nothing other than pride . Samson's tragic fall led to the end of his freedom . He was a prisoner of the Philistines , a sorry figure they used for entertainment . So goes the great hero of the Israelites .

One more thing about Aristotle . He claimed that tragedy should deeply affect those who see it . He said tragedy lead to a "Catharsis" on those who truly understand what has gone on .Catharsis is a big word , but its meaning is not so difficult . It means " a cleansing ". Having seen a great person fall , people should be be cleansed of their own pride , Aristotle wrote . They should see themselves in the great fall of a tragic hero .

Pride's pervasiveness can not be overstated . Haughtiness ,arrogance ,conceit , vainglory etc..we can go on and on what pride can causes us to do . Pride is as common as the air we breath , it is toxic and eats you from inside out . I remember one Sunday in 2011, I left Grace Church with this phrase ( maybe not exactly the same ) " Pride builds walls and Humility through God builds bridges " pride is the root of all sin . It causes us to turn from God instead of turning to Him. All rebellion has pride behind it . All mistreatment of other people is caused by pride. Thats why God and pride are like oil and water - they do not mix . Pride , just like it did to Samson , can leave us tragic figures . We must constantly come with humility to the bottom of the cross so that our pride can be washed by the blood of Jesus .