Superman’s Kryptonite: Lessons Learned from Samson

Long before Superman and Batman and Captain Caveman, there was a man with superhuman powers. He caught 300 foxes and lit their tails on fire, killed 1000 men with a jawbone, and tore apart a lion with his bare hands and ate honey from its carcass (take that, honey badger!). His name was Samson and he seemed to be invincible. But Samson had one weakness: women. Most people have probably heard of Delilah, but before her there was another woman that was nothing but trouble for Samson. Let’s see if we can learn from his mistakes.

Then Samson went down to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines. So he came back and told his father and mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife.” Then his father and his mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she looks good to me.” However, his father and mother did not know that it was of the LORD, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel. (Judges 14:1-4)

Avoid the “uncircumcised”
Samson wanted to marry a Philistine, Israel’s biggest enemy in that day. The Philistines were uncircumcised – meaning they had a different religion and moral code. Unless Samson or his wife converted, their relationship would be one battle after another.
Don’t date someone with whom you have nothing in common. Ask yourself: what do I consider important in my life? If you love football, but your girlfriend keeps trying to get you to quit watching sports completely, then it won’t work out. If you save your money wisely, you will have constant conflict with someone who spends money like their wallet is on fire. If your religious beliefs are important to you, then you might not want to date someone who belongs to the Church of Satan no matter how many quarters you can bounce of his abs.
I have heard many people say, “If I date her, I can win her over to Christ.” Guys, you are not God’s gift to women and you will end up following her rather than her following Jesus. Girls, if he only goes to church to see you, then he is not going for the right reasons. Drop him like a tiolet seat.

Take note of your parents’ and friends’ impressions
Even though Samson knew she was a “daughter of the enemy,” Samson still wanted to marry her over his parents’ objections. Now I know your parents are not always right, but often they know you better than anyone – even your closest friends. Listen to their advice and objections. They are trying to help you – not ruin your fun. If your parents’ and siblings and good friends are all saying the same things and even your dog looks at your boyfriend weird, then maybe they are on to something. Samson’s only response when questioned by his parents was “she looks good to me.” She looks good to him?! That’s his one and only reason. If you can’t come up with a good reason for dating someone that isn’t superficial or selfish, then maybe you should take your parents’ and friends’ advice and find someone better.

Pretty lasts about ten years; then they just become petty
Samson never found the right woman for him because he was always looking in the wrong places. He looked in foreign cities among foreign women. There is nothing wrong with interracial dating or marriage. What made this woman (and Delilah after her) wrong for Samson was their vastly different religions and an overemphasis on looks over substance. Looks only last for ten, maybe fifteen years. Even with plastic surgery, the inevitable is only delayed and you end up looking like Joan Rivers. Choose someone you can talk to about something other than the weather for more than ten minutes. Choose someone who will walk with you as you follow Jesus rather than try to pull you in a different direction. Choose someone who loves you for you and not what you pretend to be. He’s going to have to see you without makeup eventually.