Should Have, Could Have. A Look At Samson part 2
Should Have, Could Have
A Look At Samson - Part 2
Authority & Accountability
If you want to know what a man is, place him in authority. Authority is a necessary component of every aspect of life. Authority is power. Therefore, there should be no authority that is not subject to accountability. Accountability ensures conformity to standards of action in any areas of life.
In our last look at the life of Samson, we pointed out that he was a man with incredible potential, and he was dedicated as a Nazarite to accomplish God’s purpose, but he lacked devotion. As a judge and a leader he had authority, but as we will see, he had no accountability.
(Judges 14:5-9). Remember, as a Nazarite, Samson could not drink any wine, strong drink or even eat grapes or raisins. So, what was he doing walking through a vineyard? He was not to be around or touch any dead bodies. But, he touches the dead body of a lion to get honey out. He did whatever he felt like and got whatever he wanted even if it meant not being accountable to God.
(Judges 14:1-30. Samson’s parents reminded him that he was not supposed to marry outside their nationality. But he basically told them, “I don’t care what you have to say Mom and Dad, and I don’t care what God instructed us to do. Just get me what I want.” Here was a guy who was not only not accountable to God, but he wasn’t accountable to his parents.
(judges 15:9-13). The Philistines demanded that the Israelites turn Samson over to them for wiping out their industry. So, Samson agreed to do what his countrymen asked him to do, but he had no intention of following through. It was all part of his game plan to destroy the Philistines. He had authority, but no accountability. Not to his countrymen, not to his mom and dad who cared about him, and not to God who created him. He was accountable to no one.
Samson emerges victorious at the end of his life. He has been humiliated and now has humility. (Judges 16:26). Here is mighty Samson now linked, accountable to a little boy leading him to the temple because he can’t get there on his own. You can’t become accountable if you’re not humble and you can’t be humble if you’re not a person of humility.
We all have a certain amount of authority, even if it’s just over our own lives and possessions. If we make decisions, we have authority over who ever or whatever we are making the decisions for. It is easy to use that authority for selfish motives, that’s why accountability is so important.
It is important that there be people in our lives that we are submitted to and that can speak into our lives. People that will tell you the way things ought to be and we submit in humility even if we don’t agree with them initially. Maybe you don’t like the people in your life you’re supposed to be accountable to. Maybe it’s your spouse and you think they don’t have a clue, or your parents and they just don’t understand or they're out of it. Maybe it’s your boss, brothers, sisters, elders. So, you decide to leave that spouse, move out from your parents home, quit that job or change churches. But God put those people in your life to be accountable to. God put you in that fix to fix you. You see accountability is not about the person over you making the right decision, it’s about you becoming the right person. (1Peter 5:5).
Questions:
- Name specific areas in your life or in the life of others that you have authority over?
- Who are we required to be accountable to?
- Why is it difficult to have accountability without humility?
- What would make a person not want to be accountable?
- Who are the people in your life that you are accountable to? Or who should you be accountable to?
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