TOXIC LOVE: SAMSON AND DELILAH

Judges 16:15-16 Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you, ‘when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your strength. With such nagging she prodded him day by day until HE WAS TIRED TO DEATH.

We say a drunkard is intoxicated when they have overused an alcoholic drink. In other words, they have lost control of clear thinking or proper evaluation in a matter. An intoxicated person cannot conduct a sound conversation and is most likely unable to make even and steady steps. And more often than not, a drunkard becomes morally corrupt in their intoxicated state. In the same way, one can also be intoxicated in love. INFATUATION IS A FORM OF INTOXICATION. Therefore, toxic love is love that is wrongfully asserted.

Let’s have a look at Samson and Delilah’s love story. Samson was born in an era when the children of Israel were led by a judge. In other words, Samson was a judge in his time. That meant, he was responsible for the wellbeing of the Israelites as a whole. As a judge, it was demanded of him to be alert and clear-minded at all times. Moreover, his birth was unique unlike any other judge in Israel. Yes, he was born as a Nazirite, one set apart to God from birth. Being a Nazirite meant his life was already set. His hair was uncut from birth, some food and alcoholic drinks were forbidden and of course, he was forbidden to marry outside his own people. And while for 20 years he led Israel in the days of the Philistines, something changed afterwards. He FELL IN LOVE with Delilah, a Philistine woman. And then his problems began.

You see, other than his own parents and Samson himself, no-one in the whole Israel knew the source of his great strength. For years, their secret had been kept intact. But LOVE…yes, Samson’s infatuation or TOXIC LOVE for Delilah threatened to undo their secret. At first, Samson played along with her constant nagging and each time, he made a fool of her. Of course, in his mind he thought it harmless…her nagging and prodding. Three times he had escaped from the Philistines’ hands. But on the fourth occasion, Delilah used the most deadliest weapon at her exposure: Samson’s toxic love or obsession towards her. Note her words: ‘How can you say, “I LOVE YOU….’ and at that Samson gave up his secret to his own great loss and Israel’s as a whole.

LOVE…is a good thing. INFATUATION…is the opposite of love. It blinds, it steals and it can and will evenly kill. What are you looking for? How are you able to differentiate between LOVE AT ITS PUREST from TOXIC LOVE? No-one can answer for you that question apart from the Spirit of God in you. Seek Him until you find your answer.

Love as always,

Gladwell