Some time later, he fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the Sorek Valley. The Philistine leaders went to her and said, “Persuade him to tell you where his great strength comes from, so we can overpower him, tie him up, and make him helpless. Each of us will then give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” Judges 16:4-5 HCSB
From the beginning of time God has given mankind the freedom of choice. If we did not have a choice, we would be no more than puppets on a string that God manipulates. God desires for us to make good choices and even tells us what is best for us. But too often we ignore God and listen to the lies of Satan, leading to poor choices that bring destruction. God loves us just like we love our own children. We teach our children to use good judgment and make wise decisions. It is heart-breaking for many parents who watch their children make poor choices that often negatively impact their lives.
Samson followed his passions which led to making the poor choice of marrying a Philistine. The Philistines were enemies of God and worshiped false gods. God's desire was for the Israelites to have the best. He knew that if they married those who did not have the same beliefs and devotion to the one true God, it would lead to compromise in their devotion to Him (see Deuteronomy 7:3-4).
Challenge: We should be careful with whom we have close relationships. Satan will use those relationships to tempt us and cause us to compromise our faith in God. That does not mean we should avoid relationships with non-Christians. We should cultivate relationships so we can share the Gospel with others, but our closest relationships should be with like-minded people of faith. That is why it is important to make wise choices concerning who we date, who we marry, and those with whom we spend time on a regular basis.
Read The Bible Through In Two Years: Genesis 41:1=57; Matthew 27:1-31