The Power to Manipulate

In continuing my bible devotions on being a Positive Wife, this week's study is about Samson and Delilah. Delilah was in cahoots with the Philistines and she used her powers of manipulation to persuade Samson to reveal the secrets of his stregnth. Her deception led to the downfall of a great leader of Israel. As wives, we can influence our husbands in powerful ways. The question is, are we using our power in useful and good purposes or selfish ones?

Judges 16:15-17 (NIV)

 ¹⁵ 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 great strength.” ¹⁶ With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it.
 ¹⁷ So he told her everything. “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.”

Delilah used tactics of pouting, nagging, and deception. Her motive was not Samson's best interest, but her own gain. As positives wives, we need to steer clear of negative forms of manipulation such as whining and dishonesty and use encouragement and kindness instead. Let's choose to pray and leave the greater work and results up to God.

 If you wish to enrich days, plant flowers; if you wish to enrich years, plant trees; 

if you wish to enrich Eternity, plant ideals in the lives of others.  - S. Truett Cathy (Founder of Chickfila)