April 4

   
Judges 16-18
There's a really dumb movie called "Dumb and Dumber." It was a comedy that glorified stupidity. However, no one could have written a script more befitting of the title than Judges 16. Except, this was no comedy. Rather, it was high drama! There's an old saying that says, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." Well, Delilah fooled Samson three times! And then, the Philistines, having already discovered the source of his strength, allowed his hair to grow back out! I have a close friend who is often heard proclaiming, with a shake of the head, "There's a lot of dumb in this world." I suppose he's right. How many times do we act without thinking it through? Probably much more than we would care to admit. The Bible is riddled with stories of those who failed to consider the consequences of their actions, and in so doing, fail themselves, others, and, most importantly, God. Let's not let our lives be so rushed that we won't take the time to explore the outcome, seeking God's guidance to keep us from stumbling. And, may we allow ourselves the opportunity to learn from the mistakes of others, so that we might not repeat them.