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When I was a kid, I was wild for Samson. I guess most Christian kids are. He’s an ancient Superhero, and what kid doesn’t like Superheros? Samson, the super strong Israelite, whipping the oppressive Philistines with incredible feats of daring do.

I got older and took another look at Samson and found him an incredibly flawed human being. Dishonoring his parents and his vows before God. Looking for love in all the wrong places with Philistine women. Not to mention his cruelty to animals (remember the 300 foxes?). It didn’t take too hard a look at his life for him to fall off the pedestal that I had put him on.

And then about a month ago I heard a teaching series about Samson from Robert Godfrey and Ligonier Ministries. His main text about Samson was not found in Judges 13-16, where the story of Samson is found, but in Hebrews 11, the Hall of Faith. The writer of Hebrews say in verses 32-34, “I do not have time to tell about … Samson… who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouth of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.”

It was an incredibly interesting series, and once again my view of Samson has shifted. No, he hasn’t returned to pedestal status, but I see a flawed man, who, nonetheless had great faith in God, and was used by God despite his weakness. In fact Hebrews says that God turned his weakness to strength. Hmm? Sounds like me. Maybe you too?