Bulletin Articles
Watch for Red Flags
Warning signs and symbols come in all shapes and sizes. In our work life, our worship life and our family life, we can encounter warning signs we should absolutely not ignore! Let's begin with a biblical example from one of our recent daily bible readings.
"Afterward it happened that he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the Lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and every one of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.” So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and with what you may be bound to afflict you.” And Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings, not yet dried, then I shall become weak, and be like any other man.” So the Lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh bowstrings, not yet dried, and she bound him with them. Now men were lying in wait, staying with her in the room. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he broke the bowstrings as a strand of yarn breaks when it touches fire. So the secret of his strength was not known. Then Delilah said to Samson, “Look, you have mocked me and told me lies. Now, please tell me what you may be bound with.” So he said to her, “If they bind me securely with new ropes that have never been used, then I shall become weak, and be like any other man.” Therefore Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them, and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And men were lying in wait, staying in the room. But he broke them off his arms like a thread. Delilah said to Samson, “Until now you have mocked me and told me lies. Tell me what you may be bound with.” And he said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my head into the web of the loom”— So she wove it tightly with the batten of the loom, and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he awoke from his sleep, and pulled out the batten and the web from the loom. Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and have not told me where your great strength lies.” And it came to pass, when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexed to death, that he told her all his heart, and said to her, “No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.” When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the Lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, for he has told me all his heart.” So the Lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hand." Judges 16:4-18 NKJV
Can you point out the red flags that Sampson ignored here? Delilah enticed and pestered Sampson to learn where his strength came from and how he could be overpowered. Sampson gave Delilah false information about source of his strength on multiple occasions. Delilah attempted to use this information against him multiple times. Red flag!
Just like Sampson, we have to be aware of the red flags that present themselves in our lives. Teenagers, is there a "friend" in your life who weaponizes information you tell them? Red flag! Adults, is there a family member who is spiteful or less than supportive to you? Red flag! By paying attention and watching for red flags, we can save ourselves a ton of grief and headaches.
Can you think of any red flags in or around your life? And how are you preparing yourself to address them as they come? Are you going to God and using his word as the most powerful tool in your toolbox? "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33 NKJV
