Giving Away Secrets

 “And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily. . . That he told her all his heart.” (Judges 16:16–17)

The barren wife conceived just as the angel of the Lord said. She gave birth to a miracle son and called his name Samson; he was not to cut his hair because he was a Nazarite from the womb. And the Lord blessed him.

“How can you say you love me?” touted the pagan Philistine woman Samson loved. Delilah relentlessly badgered him for the secret to his great strength, not out of curiosity, but for money gained by relaying that information. Samson lied to her three times, but because he was tired of her nagging, the fourth time she asked, he told her his strength lay in his uncut hair, or he would be like any other man. Samson had forgotten the consequences of revealing the answer of a riddle to his coercing wife, one that should have stayed untold. His weakness in keeping a secret then cost him his wife and her father’s lives and the death of one thousand men (14:5–15:16). Delilah lulled Samson to sleep on her lap and called for a man to come in and cut off his locks. His long hair or physical stature wasn’t the secret to his strength, but keeping his Nazarite vow and God’s laws. Having abandoned his commitment to God, he was unaware the Lord was no longer with him; the Source of his strength was gone. Giving away his secret to Delilah cost him not only the departure of the Lord but his very life (16:28–30).

Beware of being a Samson. Your successes don’t lie in your accomplishments or abilities—you would not succeed without God’s grace and help. And telling “all your heart” in moments of weakness or for some advantage can be dangerous. Choose carefully with whom you “tell-all” and consider what consequences may come from it (Proverbs 18:7). Remember, the enemy of your soul is always listening. There are some secrets meant for you and God alone, who is always trustworthy to keep the most profound secrets secret. But praise God, when we fail, He doesn’t abandon His children: “For He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).