The Power of a Woman

An email sent this morning to a group of nine young women with whom I'm privileged to fellowship:

Today, I'm reading from Judges 12-16, the story of Samson's birth, life, and death.

Since our focus is on the role of women in God's kingdom, there are definitely a few things that stood out to me in these chapters that are good lessons for us to think about today. First, God called Samson to a specific role from before he was born. Samson was chosen to judge and save Israel. Samson is listed among the heroes of the faith in Hebrews chapter 11. Samson, with divine power from the holy Spirit overcame thousands of Philistines in his lifetime.

But, Samson was also very sinful, and his biggest weakness was women. Several times throughout these passages we see Samson--the strongest man alive--succumb to the wiles of crafty women. He was lured in by their charms and helpless before their manipulation. The most famous woman in his story, of course, is Delilah--we all know how she wickedly manipulated him into revealing the secret of his strength. But, before her, there were others.

The MacDonald Bible Commentary notes, on the verse speaking of Samson's demand that his parents get him a certain Philistine woman for a wife, that "He had a weakness for women, and was willing to disobey God in order to get a women who pleased him." He had lusted after a Philistine woman, and his marriage to her turned into an all-out fiasco after she wheedled the answer to a riddle out of him and told her people. The situation resulted in the woman and her father being burned alive by their own people because of the Philistine's hatred of Samson. Samson also spent the night with a prostitute on another occasion, and throughout these chapters, we see the mighty warrior of God, selected for victory--falling prey to the powerful snares of evil women.

C.H. Mackintosh says this: "The lap of Delilah proved too strong for the heart of Samson, and what a thousand Philistines could not do was done by the ensnaring influence of a single woman."

It was ultimately Samson's unbridled fetish for seductive women that led to his humiliating downfall, when the Spirit of God left him, and he served, blinded, in a prison. We know the Lord returned his strength enough to buckle the pillars of the Philistine's party-house, killing more in his death than he had killed during his lifetime, but his story is still blighted by the lifelong reign of sin in Samson's heart, and his utter weakness to the powers of women.

If you've ever secretly wondered if it really matters that you're a woman, take note: it matters . . . a lot. Sure, we're not called to teach and preach in church, and we follow the leadership of the men God has given to us to protect and guide us --fathers, husbands, brothers, pastors--but the truth is, your influence as a woman is IMMENSELY powerful and you must never ever ever underestimate its strength.

Scores have men have been sent to their graves in a horrendous state of spiritual ruin because of women's power and influence, asserted for evil intent. Just observe how many, many warnings there are throughout Scripture of shunning the seductress, the evil woman who flatters, tricks, connives, manipulates, flirts---and viciously destroys. She is a terrible force to be reckoned with, and although her day of judgment comes, she still takes scores of victims with her to that pit of despair.

Countless other men, throughout the ages, have accomplished mighty feats of victory and reformation of entire cultures, and often they readily acknowledge their ever-ready, wise, able, helpful woman companions who enabled them to rise to such great heights. Do not dismiss the far-reaching influence of a righteous woman. Her husband, her children, her grandchildren, her great-great-great-great-great-

great grandchildren for generations yet to come, are shaped by the deeply imprinted mark of her shining character. Even sisters wield a powerful influence in the shaping of their brothers. It does not matter if your brother is years older or younger than you--you are in a position to win him to the faith, capture his heart, entrust him with yours, enabling him to practice the safeguarding of women that he is called to do, and your little comments throughout the day are each either cool sips of water to a fighting warrior, or fiery little darts that will break him down. Do not take this lightly--if you have a brother, you will answer to God for how you treated that man, tended or neglected that relationship, and shouldered or shirked that great, solemn responsibility given to you by the Lord.

But, by the same token, do not be afraid or discouraged, but be filled with exhilarated excitement and anticipation: you, as a woman, are not called to be stupid, timid, ignorant, un-opinionated, with no advice or insight. What a ridiculous lie! Don't buy it--it's just the awful ugly twin sister of the Lie of Liberated Feminism. Rather, the beautiful crowning glory of a woman of God is her courage, intelligence, humility, wisdom, insight, advice, and sweet-spirited, vivacious dominion over all her realms of responsibility. Imagine what an exemplary man Samson would have been if he had chosen a wise godly woman for his wife. How she would have helped him! Prayed for him! Advised him wisely! Alas, his weakness destroyed him.

Take courage, dear ones. The need for noble women has never been greater than now, and you are young: you stand at the crossroads, able now to set the course of history. Set your vision high. Do not settle for a drab, mundane, resigned existence. Take joy and be content in the upward call to godliness, a pursuit which clothes you with a beauty that cannot be found on earth, for it is not from this mortal realm, but from the eternal realms of glory.