Anger and Fury: Blueprint for Disaster

Unbridled passion is a blueprint for building a bridge to failure, even disaster. Passion’s core agenda is to satisfy whatever is defined as a need or desire which could be rational and reasonably or irrational and illogical. When passion is measured against Christian values and ethics, then positive benefits for the good of everyone are feasible.

When passions become uncensored and out of bounds, moving against others, even loved ones, with destructive behavior becomes a possibility. Samson acted in ways that alienated. In a fit of anger he indiscriminately moved against those who were the object of his fury. In this state of anger he left his new wife and returned home to his parents.

Samson was unable to see how burning anger resulted in irrational acts that caused him to move against those for whom he cared. His behavior was also a move away from God. Whatever your situation, God is willing to replace destructive passions with godly passions that center on goodness and productivity.  

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Don’t be angry or furious. Anger can lead to sin.

All sinners will disappear, but if you trust the Lord, the land will be yours.

~Psalm 37:8-9 Contemporary English Version

Relationships: Build Them Up or Tear Them Down

A marriage relationship is one of God's most precious gifts designed to provide love and affection, sexual fulfillment, a sense of commitment and belonging as well as an opportunity to explore the deeper complexities of our humanity. Our passions play an interesting role in either establishing and maintaining a relationship or causing the disintegration and unraveling of the very fiber that holds it together.

We observe this pattern in Samson’s life when he found a young woman to marry. His parents arranged their marriage, but his impulsivity and bent for mischievousness created a fiasco that doomed the marriage before it began.

Samson's personality lent itself to blaming others for his failures. He justified his enraged behavior by believing others were responsible for his pain and suffering. Sampson's passion prevented him from seeking the Lord God for wisdom and guidance. No matter how desperate your situation appears, nothing is impossible for God Almighty nor beyond his willingness to help.  

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The Lord hates people who do evil, but he takes righteous people into his confidence.

The Lord puts a curse on the homes of the wicked, but he blesses the homes of the righteous.

~Proverbs 3:32-33 Good News Bible

When Sin Is Linked to Passion, Look Out!

It’s possible to develop a series of passions throughout a lifetime of searching for fulfillment and happiness. The word passion is capable of evoking reactions ranging from extremely negative to warm and positive. Passion often is linked to anger and rage, to sexual desire, to love and affection, or dedication and commitment.

Samson was enraged when he realized his new wife had betrayed him. He was unprepared to pay a wager he made because he was convinced that he could not lose. Strong passion has the capacity to distort reality and impair judgment. It can cloud one’s ability to correctly assess situations or make contingency plans.

In anger Samson set a course of terrible consequences for his life. Passion can be described as a compelling force capable of defining your destiny. Proverbs 5:22 warns that sin coupled to passion sets a deadly trap. Yet passion for righteousness and forgiveness frees us from the shackles of sin and gives us hope. 

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For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.

~Titus 2:11-12 New International Version

It's God's Goodness and Mercy, Not Ours

It's not unusual for God's people to develop an attitude of superiority even as they realize that all they can be and do is attributed to God's generosity and kindness. Today we say people have an “attitude” when they act haughty, arrogant, or superior. Paralleling this attitude is a diminished maturity that may be hidden and hard to detect because it is camouflaged by this attitude of superiority.

In the book of Judges, Samson demonstrated immaturity in judgment by naively trusting his new wife with the answer to his riddle. Immaturity, greed and fear turned a wedding festival into betrayal and chaos. Samson's riddle appeared innocent, but his ulterior motives produced humiliation and anger.

Fearing for the lives of herself and her parents, Samson's bride gave the answer to the riddle to the young men attending their wedding. For Samson, her betrayal ended the marriage. So how should God respond when we permit passion and impulses to detract us from his plan and calling? Have you suffered great consequences while still believing God will forgive you?  

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For we ourselves were once...slaves to passions and pleasures of all kinds. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior was revealed, he saved us. It was not because of any good deeds that we ourselves had done, but because of his own mercy that he saved us, through the Holy Spirit, who gives us new birth and new life by washing us.

~Titus 3:3-4 Good News Bible

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
~Psalm 23:6 King James Bible

When Selfish Immaturity Ignores God

Samson was called to be a judge of the Hebrew people, and God equipped him with adequate qualifications for the job. God also gave Samson a free will, including the right to honor that responsibility. The attitudes we develop as children and adults reflect our maturity and the way our free will affects our choices.

Samson was chosen by God to break the Philistine’s yoke over the Hebrews. However, his ambitions and passions affected his reliability and restricted God’s plan for him. Satan used the glitches in his personality as a means of negating God's purpose for him and the nation.

Samson created a riddle to manipulate the young men at his wedding party. That selfish act set in motion life-changing events that became the source of pain for Samson and several other families. God created us with the capacity to mature, to love and serve others. The Holy Spirit within us continuously reminds us of that purpose and he will help us achieve it. 

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For [Christ Jesus] gave himself for us that he might set us free from all our evil ways and make us clean and pure, with our hearts set upon living a life that is good.

~Titus 2:14 Phillips – The New Testament in Modern English

Samson's Hidden Riddle: Who's the Smartest?

The book of Judges portrays Samson as intelligent and bright but possessed with a proclivity for mischievousness. On one occasion he hatched up a riddle for the young men at his wedding party to solve. His motive was to win a wager and prove his intellectual superiority. Ulterior motives disguised the truth behind attitudes and objectives. 

Samson knew his riddle was impossible to solve because he alone knew all its components. The young men who took the challenge offered his bride this alternative: "Get the answer to Samson's riddle or we'll burn down your father's house with you in it. Were we invited to this party to be humiliated and lose all our possessions?"  

Samson's values clashed with God’s calling and purpose for his life. When impure motives are used as an incentive to engage in behavior that is unsuitable for believers in Jesus Christ, we subject ourselves to natural consequences that serve up sorrow and regret. This, then, becomes a wake-up call to return to a lifestyle that honors and glorifies the Lord God. 

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Don’t cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance, but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities by the light of the faith that God has given you.

~Romans 12:3 Phillips – The New Testament in Modern English

God Will Deliver ~ Wait for Him

When impatience becomes a dominant force in a person’s life, sound judgment usually suffers. Little time is given to thoroughly evaluate a situation, so wise decisions cannot be made. Impatience produces unfortunate consequences. Samson acted impulsively without considering the negative fallout for his choices and behavior.

 

Samson underestimated the intelligence and the potential for violence of those he believed he could manipulate. A mischievous prank  turned into disaster for him, for his future wife and her parents. He never stopped to seek the wisdom and approval of God, who would have furnished wise counsel to replace his impatience.

After Moses delivered the Hebrew people from Egypt, they complained bitterly when their journey became difficult. Their impatience provoked God's displeasure and, like Samson, they suffered for failing to have faith in God’s provision to meet their needs. Remember to pray for patience and tolerance when faced with difficult situations, for God desires to meet your needs.  

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But I will watch for the Lord; I will wait confidently for God, who will save me. My God will hear me.

~Micah 7:7 Good News Bible

Don't Be Foolish ~ Be Patient

God’s plan for Samson was the deliverance of his people from the ruling Philistines. God equipped Samson for this task, but his impatience and impulsivity would sabotage God’s objectives. This clearly illustrates that we can impede God’s purpose for us, but at the cost of tremendous regret and sorrow.

God gave Samson unusual strength that became activated when the power of the Lord was present to help him escape crises that he himself tended to create. His sharp intelligence was used to manipulate others, sometimes for fun because he was mischievous and at other times for personal and political benefits.

God expects us to be accountable for using his wonderful gifts and blessings. The Apostle Paul gives us this reminder from Romans 12:3: “By the grace of God given to me I tell you not to think you are better than you are, but measure yourself with sober judgement, according to the degree of faith God has assigned to you.” Good advice. Act on it!  

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Patience is better than pride! Don’t be quick tempered – that is being a fool!

~Ecclesiastes 7:8-9 The Living Bible

Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud.

~1 Corinthians 13:4 Good News Bible

Love is so patient and so kind. Love never boils with jealousy.

It never boasts, is never puffed with pride.

~1 Corinthians 13:4 Williams – New Testament in the Language of the People

Impatience and Impulsivity – Unfortunate Companions

Apparently, Samson was an only child and may have been born when his parents were older. This may explain why his parents catered to his demands to marry outside his faith. They had the right to refuse his demands, but they gave in, knowing it was wrong to do so. 

Impatience is often a companion of impulsive people. Abraham and Sarah are examples. They refused to accept God’s timing for the son he had promised would be born to them. Instead of waiting for God, Sarah gave her maidservant to Abraham so she could give birth to a son whom Sarah then would claim as her own.

Decisions made with little thought of long-range consequences often are regretted because of the consequent pain and sorrow that follow. Samson did not want God’s approval to marry the Philistine woman, just as Abraham and Sarah never actually wanted God’s approval to use their Egyptian servant as a surrogate mother. Waiting for God’s approval and timing is essential for peace of mind and long-range happiness.  

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We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our hope and our shield.

In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.

May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

~Psalm 33:20-22 New International Version

When Craving Overtakes Reason

Passion has the power to turn a person’s thoughts from reason and logic to an inward craving. When Samson was a young man, he became enamored with a young Philistine woman. Judges 14:2 reveals his  passionate obsession for this woman. He told his father, “I’ve seen a young Philistine woman; now get her for me to be my wife.”

Listen to the plea of Samson’s mother: “Must you go outside our faith to get a wife? Surely there’s an acceptable woman from our people.” “Get her for me. She’s the right one for me,” Samson demanded. Because this woman was unacceptable to his parents and the Lord God, the marriage had little chance for success.

Becoming obsessed with an unruly passion impairs judgment and decision-making. Samson mistook sexual attraction for love. He was blinded to the incompatibilities that doomed his marriage. God provides warning signs when dangers are apparent, including a way to escape, so be sure to listen closely to Him.

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For a time will come when they will not listen to wholesome teaching, but to gratify their own evil desires will surround themselves with teachers who teach to gratify their own evil desires. Their ears are itching to be tickled, and they will cease to listen to the truth and will turn to listen to myths.

~2 Timothy 4:3-4 Williams – New Testament in the Language of the People

STOP! Evaluate Your Impulses

Passion is defined as a strong fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for something special. You can see how passion can center on either righteous or evil objectives. Passion has the ability to create emotions for motivating a person to possess what is thought to be absolutely essential for happiness.

Passion eventually reveals strengths and weaknesses, which define character and beliefs. In the book of Judges, Samson had trouble distinguishing between following what God approved of and satisfying his own desires. When an impulse or desire became conscious, he acted with little thought of healthy boundaries.

  

The Lord God cautions us to evaluate an impulse before acting on it. “Do not be as children tossed about by every wind and doctrine,” and “Add goodness and knowledge to your faith. To these add self-control and endurance.” Evaluating impulses requires patience, but God through the power of the Holy Spirit will give self-control and patience to those who earnestly seek these boundary markers.  

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Make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge; and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with [Christian] affection, and [Christian] affection with love for everyone.

~2 Peter 1:5-7 New Living Translation

Instructions for a Lifetime

There is little information in the Bible about Samson’s childhood and adolescence. What we know is that Samson’s parents asked God to send an angel to teach them how to parent their son. All prospective parents of a first-born feel they too need special training on how to nurture and care for their infant.

It’s a mystery how God chooses a particular individual to be his representative for a special work. Samson was selected before he was born. Judges 13:24 confirms God’s choice of Samson. “The woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. As he grew, the Lord blessed him, and the Spirit of God began to stir in him.”

Have you ever thought it could be possible to possess passion for doing something special for God? Is it possible that God will give you passion, however it’s defined, to be of service for Him? He sends the Holy Spirit to empower you, to stir you up, to instruct, nurture and inspire you, so be on the alert.  

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Then [Samson’s father] Manoah prayed, “O Lord, please let the man from God come back to us again and give us more instructions about the child you are going to give us.” The Lord answered his prayer…So Manoah asked him, “Can you give us any special instructions about how we should raise the baby after he is born?” 

~Judges 13:8-9,12 The Living Bible

I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

~Psalm 32:8 New American Standard Bible

Different Paths – Different Destinations

The Old Testament story of Samson echoes the story of Israel. An angel of God announced his birth and proclaimed that he was to be dedicated to the Lord for a special purpose. God gave him special powers for securing that purpose. Yet as he grew into adulthood, Samson’s lusty passions would lead him down the road to destruction.

In a similar way at a later time, God chose Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to Israel.” Jeremiah’s passion for proclaiming God’s message sent him out into the streets to alert Israel they must turn back to God to avoid the destruction that was looming on the horizon for them. However unlike Jeremiah’s passion, Samson’s ungodly passion led him to pursue Delilah, the woman responsible for securing his downfall.

While each person will undergo temptations to forsake their higher calling, for every temptation God is faithful to provide a way to escape the entrapment of being lured into sin. Like Samson, we’re often inundated by Satan’s fiery darts, but thanks be to God for Christ Jesus our safeguard, who will shield us from the power of ungodly passions.   

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No temptation has come your way that is too hard for flesh and blood to bear. But God can be trusted not to allow you to suffer any temptation beyond your powers of endurance. He will see to it that every temptation has its way out, so that it will be possible for you to bear it.

~1 Corinthians 10:13 Phillips – New Testament in Modern English

Happy is the man who doesn’t give in and do wrong when he is tempted, for afterwards he will get as his reward the crown of life that God has promised those who love him.

James 1:12 The Living Bible