The Character of Leadership: Samson
In this study of the character of leadership, I find myself thinking about “the character of characters.” A “character” is a person, often someone who plays a part in a story and is an example from whom we can learn, but it is also a trait or attribute that can be applied to that person and to his/her leadership. When we study the character of that character – identifying biblical characters, and then identifying something in their character that can teach us something about who we are and how we lead – we learn things about the character of leadership that can be applied in our own lives. In this week’s episode, we are learning from Samson.
Speaking transparently, for much of my life in my teaching and leadership roles, I have battled the tendency to be a people-pleasing perfectionist. I think it probably stemmed primarily from my personal insecurities when I was young, but it led to me wanting to put on a front that I always knew the answers, knew what I was doing, and was doing everything right, out of fear of looking like a failure and feeling unworthy. The reality was that I was and still am a flawed and broken sinner in need of a savior, Jesus Christ, and in need of God‘s hand at work in my life. God had to do a lot of work in me on that, but at the same time, I am so grateful that God chose to use me despite my imperfections.
That’s one of the reasons why God takes the time in the book of Judges to tell the story of Samson. Samson was chosen by God from birth to serve a special role for God‘s kingdom and for His purpose. God had a long-term plan in mind, and He chose Sampson to play a role in that plan. But most of Samson‘s story that we read in the book of Judges is a story of flaws, selfishness, and willful disobedience. Although at times it becomes clear that he relied on the power of the Holy Spirit, much of the rest of the time, he was arrogant about his strength and his capability, which led him to be self-reliant, rather than God-dependent. Because of that, he made a lot of decisions that were contrary to the holiness that God was asking of him. At the very end of his life, he was shown to be someone used by God for greatness, at a time when he found himself fully and completely reliant on God. That’s been a lesson that I’ve had to learn in my leadership and in my life. I am a flawed and broken person, and if I am not in a position where I need to be dependent on God, it is easy for me to be self-centered and self-reliant, and to lose sight of God or to not keep Him in focus. It is in recognizing my flaws that I am reminded of two things:
1) I am dependent on God because of my imperfections and flaws. Just like Paul prayed for his “thorn in the flesh” to be removed, and God left it there so that Paul could acknowledge that it was in his weakness that God was made strong, it is in my flaws that God can work in me.
2) God wants to use me despite my flaws, and in doing that it becomes clear that the work that I do is because of God working in me and not because of my own mistaken sense of perfection. And so the story of how God used Samson in spite of his great flaws is a tremendous lesson for you and me.
The character of this character shows us that God is not waiting for us to be perfect, because we never will be, but wants us to be dependent on Him and allow Him to work through us to accomplish His plan. My challenge for you, based on Samson‘s example, is to be willing to acknowledge and accept your flaws, and allow God to work in spite of them and through them to use you in your leadership.
