Bzzzzzz, Bzzzzzz, Bzzzzzz!
That was it. About 3-4 buzzes and my hair was gone. They had little to work with though. In 1965, the hair fashions were shorter, so my twin brother Roger and I had little to lose with our “crewcut” hairstyles. Most people getting their heads shaved have little to lose – maybe a little ego or self-esteem. Scripture gives us a story about a buzz job that had some serious side effects.
Most of us are familiar with the biblical character, Samson, and the image that typically comes to mind is someone like “The Rock” (aka Dwayne Johnson). I’m more inclined to think Samson looked more like Barney Fife from the old Andy Griffith show. My rationale for that is that God works in just the opposite way that men would work, so Samson was most likely not a huge fellow. Judges 13-16, document the rise and fall of this biblical hero. The Angel of the Lord announced his pending birth to a barren Israelite woman. He was to be a Nazarite from the womb. The Nazarite vow is found in Numbers 6, where the individual is to abstain from strong drink and not allow a razor to touch his head until the period of the vow has been fulfilled. In Samson’s case, this was prescribed for his entire life.
Samson’s story is one of unrealized potential. In one instance he slew a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of an ass. In another, he took the gates of the city of Gaza on his shoulder and carried them thirty-eight miles uphill to Hebron. Unfortunately, Samson’s strength was insufficient to overcome his character defect. He consorted with harlots, and he drank strong drink. The bottom line here is that he did not take seriously the Nazarite vow he was called to maintain. He fell in love with a woman named Delilah, whom the lords of the Philistines bribed to learn the secret of his strength (which proves my point – he didn’t look like The Rock). Each time he responds to her pleas, he gets closer and closer to revealing the secret of his strength. Just before he reveals his true source of strength, he tells her to weave the seven locks of his head (Samson had “dreads” long before it became popular). Finally, Delilah shaved off the seven locks, and the guy was toast!
Most of us have never taken a Nazarite vow, but in coming to Christ, we have, in a sense, committed ourselves to a life of holiness and service to the Lord. Like Samson, our strength comes from the Lord. In our case, it is through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Flirting with sin can grieve the Holy Spirit. Flirting with sin imperceptibly weakens us.
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30, ESV)
The context for this statement is one of living a godly lifestyle. How do we grieve the Holy Spirit?
We grieve Him when we take that second look at an attractive woman or man, or when we consider taking an unallowed tax deduction. We grieve Him when we decide to take an unnecessary Sunday off from church or when we fail to take a stand for our Lord. I could go on, but I think you get the point. I once saw a demonstration where a person had several strands of thread wrapped around them, which were then easily broken. He continued to wrap the thread, and at a certain point, the individual could no longer break free.
“For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths. The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.” (Proverbs 5:21-22, ESV)
“. . . a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12, ESV)
The power of the Holy Spirit is what strengthens us to resist sin. Confession and repentance (turning away from what we know is wrong) are the means by which we maintain a Holy Spirit-empowered lifestyle. I don’t want to end up a modern-day Samson – flirting with sin until I end up blinded and bound with chains. I want to have the vow in my life to serve the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Something to think about.
Adapted from Men of Valor Devotional by Ron Helle, 9 September 2022