Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have super-human strength? Take Superman for an example. He was a mild-mannered man who did not draw attention to himself while he was Clark Kent, but when trouble broke loose, he was in his blue jumpsuit and red cape and boots before you could say, “Is that a bird or a plane in the sky?” Just for the record, I know that Superman does not exist; he is a made-up character for comic books and the movies. However, I wouldn’t mind owning a Superman uniform. I could wear it while I cut my grass with the push mower. I can only imagine what the neighbors and any passersby would think while Superman cut grass with a 22-inch self-propelled mower. Important questions would arise, like how much does Superman charge to cut grass and do the trim work? And there would be even more important questions like, shouldn’t Superman be doing something more worthwhile with his time than fighting wiregrass and wondering if fire ants are his kryptonite?
There is a person in the Bible who had superhuman strength named Samson. Samson’s strength was given to him by God to defeat the enemies of . The interesting fact about Samson is that he did not have a fancy suit, nor was he a big man like Goliath. As a matter of fact, people wondered about the secret of his strength because he looked normal. Samson’s great strength was conditional on the fact that he should never cut his hair or drink strong drink (Judges 13:8) as long as he lived. Even though he defeated the enemy of his people a number of times, Samson had some problems. He started associating with the wrong kind of people, the kind that would betray him for the right price. One such person was Delilah, a woman who was paid by Samson’s enemies to find out the secret of his strength. Eventually she was able to find out his long hair represented more than a fashion statement, it was a symbol of his vow to God. After Samson told Delilah the truth he went to sleep, and she called in the barbers to give Samson his first and last haircut. Judges sums it when it tells us, “And she said, ‘The Philistines are upon you, Samson!’ And he awoke from his sleep and said, I will go out as at other times and shake myself free. But he did not know that the Lord had departed him.” He was captured and tormented by his enemies.
This true story about a real man with superhuman strength tells me a lot of things. First, everyone has a weak point that can bring them down. Second, believe God when He says something. Samson knew what would take away his strength, but he didn’t believe what God told him. What a pity. It seems like skeptics have always existed to disbelieve what God said He would do in the affairs of men. He told us that His Son, Jesus Christ, would literally rise from the grave, but people still say it didn’t happen. These people are wrong. Some people say that Jesus is not coming back to earth to call His people home to Heaven. One day He will, and maybe that day is sooner than we realize.
As we lead our congregations, Pastors, we should always be mindful that the source of our strength is God. No pastor is Superman. Instead, we are Clark Kents, with weaknesses that the enemy would love to use against us. Our total dependency is on the Lord.
Remember, it’s His way and your day. Make the most of it!
