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

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