...or Deceitful?
I've been thinking about Delilah for a couple of weeks. Odd huh? As I pondered on her, it wasn't that odd any more. Look closely - she was almost a Mrs. Pastor...
Judges 16: 4-31 tells us about how Samson (who was the Presiding Judge in Israel at the time - the equivalent of the Senior Pastor) met Delilah and how she messed up his ministry and life - or what was left of it.
As I meditated on her determination & deception, I remembered Rev Sam Adeyemi referring to his wife as his "left ventricle." For those in the medical field, you know that the left ventricle is more muscular and hence the more important of the 2 ventricles we have in our hearts. Obviously, Delilah became Samson's left ventricle such that he felt "safe" enough to share his deepest secret with him...which she promptly used against him. How frightening & sad.
We often quote Genesis 2:25 as a reason why there should be no secrets between husband and wife...and rightly so. However, the question you need to answer for yourself is:
"Are you "de-light-ful" like the Proverbs 31 Woman (wife & mother) or deceitful like Delilah?"
Proverbs 31: 11-12 comes up in my mind and challenges me from time to time. Let's read the verses in 3 versions (italics, mine):
11-12 Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it. Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long. (Message)
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on and believes in her securely, so that he has no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest] spoil. 12 She comforts, encourages, and does him only good as long as there is life within her. (Amplified)
11 Her husband can trust her, and she will richly satisfy his needs.
12 She will not hinder him but help him all her life. (Living Bible)
The last rendition drives the point home... "she will not hinder him, but help him all her life." Nowhere did these verses say that "she agrees with him all the time." It also doesn't say that "she cannot hinder him..." after all we saw how Delilah hindered, rather than helped, Samson.
It says that: "she WILL not hinder." So helping, not hindering, our husbands is a choice that we make, & act on, on a daily basis. This is critical - which must be why it keeps coming up.*
The fact is that, knowingly or unknowingly, we can hinder our husbands - but shouldn't. Therefore, we need to be consciously "de-light-ful" - yes full of the light of God. The alternative to being full of light is to be full of spite and deceit; the Bible is clear on what happens to the latter.** Conversely, with His light** we'll know what to think, say, do - when, where and how...
It's very rewarding to be de-light-ful...because in God's presence are pleasures evermore.****
*Other posts to read:
http://mrs-pastor-and-pastor-mrs.blogspot.ca/2014/06/by-his-side.html
http://mrs-pastor-and-pastor-mrs.blogspot.ca/2014/05/help-meet.html
http://mrs-pastor-and-pastor-mrs.blogspot.ca/2012/01/here-to-help.html
http://mrs-pastor-and-pastor-mrs.blogspot.ca/2013/02/hat-or-heart-3.html
**Ps 101:7 - But the person who acts deceitfully won’t stay in my house. The person who tells lies won’t last for long before me. (CEB)
*** Ps 119:105 - Your word is like a lamp that guides my steps, a light that shows the path I should take. (ERV)
**** Ps 16:11 - You will show me the path that leads to life; your presence fills me with joy and brings me pleasure forever.(GNT)
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