Louie Zamperini was a runner qualifying for the 1936 Olympics. When in the military during World War II, his plane crashes in the Pacific, and he survives an incredible 47 days adrift in a raft, until his capture by the Japanese navy. Sent to a POW camp, Louie becomes the favorite target of a particularly cruel prison commander but somehow survives. His story of self-reliance and perseverance is detailed in the inspirational movie and book Unbroken.
Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding grain in the prison. But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved. Now the rulers of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate, saying, “Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands.” While they were in high spirits, they shouted, “Bring out Samson to entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them. When they stood him among the pillars, Samson said to the servant who held his hand, “Put me where I can feel the pillars that support the temple, so that I may lean against them.” — Judges 16:21-26
In the world’s eyes, our heroes, like Louie, are those who found strength in themselves to accomplish greatness. They didn’t depend on others but modeled self-reliance. However going it alone using his incredible strength is what got Samson out of so much trouble but now that “strength” is what got him into a hot mess with the Philistines. In Judges 16, we pick up the story at the end of Samson’s life when he’s imprisoned, blind, and stuck. Even though in this desperate state Samson didn’t have a strength problem– He had a reliance problem. He thought he was in a place where God didn’t know where he was, forgotten & abandoned, but in fact God was maneuvering him into a position of purpose to help him learn the lesson of dependence.
Samson, while holding a guard’s hand, cried out asking for help “Put me where I can feel the pillars”. Samson needed help from others to get him in the position for God to work through but unfortunately it took capture, pain, blindness, humiliation to get his attention.
Are you in this space today asking how did I get here?
- Marriage falling apart?
- Business headed for bankruptcy?
- Conflict with your daughter?
God sees possibilities when we see problems. And even if you are currently surrounded by a mess and people against you, you are not far from pillars of help. Depending on God isn’t a weakness but it’s acknowledging His strength. Rely less on yourself and let Jesus work to bring others to help you through your circumstance today.
Reflection |
Rate your self-reliance vs dependence on Jesus today