Who Cut Your Hair?
Today’s Verse:
That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man. ~Judges 16:17
Most people are very particular about the cutting or styling of their hair. Getting a haircut is not just simply walking into a hair shop and letting anyone cut it. If we have the same person cut our hair for a long time, we are not comfortable with another person servicing us, mainly out of fear that they might mess up. The story of Delilah having someone cut Samson’s hair is a well-known account, but it is also one that has sobering spiritual lessons.
We see the symbol.
Samson was a Nazarite from birth. The hair of a Nazarite was not to be cut all the days of his life. His hair symbolized his separation and service to God. It represented he had a calling that was very distinct from other men. In Samson’s case, it symbolized the power of the Spirit in his life as well. The distinction concerning his hair was meant to be upheld and revered all the days of his life. It was a moment-by-moment reminder that he was God’s servant to God’s people.
We see the shaving.
Samson’s weakness was women. Delilah was a Philistine woman who seduced him into telling her the secret of his great strength. She nagged him day and night to tell her the secret. We are told that his soul was vexed from her nagging. This means he was under great oppression from her words and constant beating down on him. He eventually caved in to her nagging and told her that he was a Nazarite and that if his head was shaven, he would become weak and be like other men. If you’re serving the Lord, be careful who you tell your heart to outside of God and your spouse. Be careful of compromising with the world or the flesh and, in so doing, shaving off your reputation, testimony, and holiness. Too many men get weary of living for God, and, over time, start to cut corners and cut the things of God out of their life.
We see the shortcoming.
Samson fell asleep on Delilah’s lap, and she had a man come in to shave his hair. She awakened him and told the men that had entered her chamber to attack him. The Bible says that he went out as at other times, but wist not that the Lord was departed from him. He became weak and was like other men. What a sad shortcoming! He was once a great and mighty servant of the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord enabled him to do feats of service that other men could not do. He lost his distinction when he got his hair cut. A Spirit-filled man is not like other men. When the Spirit of God is departed in power, we, sadly, are weak and powerless as other men.
We see the sprouting.
Samson was humiliated, put in bonds, and permanently injured because of his negligence. Yet we are told that his hair began to grow again. He could not regain his sight, but his hair could grow back. If you have messed up, determine to grow through that experience. You can have a restart. It might be difficult, but there is a growth opportunity for us even in the midst of tragedy and difficulty.
We see the circumspect.
Be cautious with your testimony and life. There are spiritual and immoral forces that seek to spoil and ruin us. Make sure you don’t go to the devil’s barbershop for a haircut! Make sure you don’t tell the devil all your heart and risk being shaven one day.
Have a watchful God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Psalm 119