He who was called and set apart in such a high manner . . . just seemed to do life at such a low level. I’m talking about Samson. Announced to his barren mother by the angel of the Lord . . . the promise confirmed to his father with a second divine visitation . . . set apart by God at birth . . . born to be a Nazirite for life, consecrated to God for His purposes . . . determined of God to deliver God’s people from Philistine oppression. Wow! Talk about your over-the-top baby announcement! And the baby was born . . . and the young man grew . . . and the Lord blessed Him . . . and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him (Judges 13).

And, while God fulfilled His purposes through Samson, it is so obvious that Samson lived way below His potential in God.

Judges 14 starts, “Samson went down to Timnah” . . . emphasis on “down.” He heads into enemy territory . . . his eye is caught by a good looking Philistine lady . . . and he goes back to dad and mom and says, “Get her for me!”

Now this is problematic on so many levels. First, he knows nothing about the girl . . . except that she’s a looker. Second, her people aren’t exactly his people . . . in fact, for 40 years her people have kind of been oppressing his people . . . and, most important, his people marrying someone from her people was explicitly forbidden by the God over all people (Ex. 34:16, Deut. 7:3).

So what’s he thinking?

But his father and mother said to him, “Is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.”   (Judges 14:3 ESV)

Chosen of God . . . called of God . . . set apart of God . . . raised, I’m thinking, in the things of God . . . blessed of God . . . empowered by the Spirit of God . . . and, when it comes to choosing a life partner, a closest companion, it’s based on “for she is right in my eyes.” At the end of the day, his decision making comes down to, “Looks good to me!”

Spirit-enabled . . . yet sensually driven. Called to participate in the counsel of the heavenlies . . . yet down in Timnah with a wandering eye. Given the foundation of God’s word . . . doing life, instead, by “Looks good to me.”

There’s a warning here. Proverbs says that “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Prov. 16:25). Paul writes the Romans, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die” (Romans 8:13). Taking an “if it feels good, do it” or, an “if it looks good, go for it” approach to life is a ticket to disaster. Sure, God’s purposes will prevail, but know there will be personal consequences . . . sometimes, as in Samson’s case, some pretty severe consequences.

I need to be wary of “Looks good to me.” I need to mindful of what looks good to Him.

. . . by His grace . . . for His glory . . .