ON THE VANGUARD

ONE NIGHT WITH A PROSTITUTE
“One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her.”
Judges 16:1

I want to start off by saying that I have never been with a prostitute, and I understand this title may take a few people off guard. But as I was recalling the details of the life of Samson, and reading this account in Judges, that word stuck out to me. One could say it is because of my past that the word would pop, but I think it is more of a lesson that God has to at times remind me of. It is not that I am going out looking for someone to be physically intimate with, but rather that I am at times quick to act without thinking my action through. Let me explain.
By the time Samson was lured in by prostitute, he had already been used by God to judge the mis-deeds of the Philistines . Because of his Nazirite vow to drink no fermented drink, eat nothing considered unclean, and not cut his hair, God’s Spirit rested on him. With this Spirit came great strength. When attacked by a lion, he tore it apart with his bare hands (Jud 14:6). When outsmarted in his riddle, he struck down thirty men and stripped them of the belongings to pay his debt (Jud 14:19). In an act of breaking free from bindings, the Spirit of God came upon him and with a donkey jawbone he busted the heads of a thousand men (Jud 15:16). But then he met the prostitute.
There must have been someone watching guard that night, for the story continues that the people of Gaza were tipped off that Samson was in town. They surrounded the place, waiting for just the right time to make their move. When the sun would rise, they would attack. But Samson didn’t wait that long, and in the midnight hour he left town. On his way out, seeing they were trying to trap him, his strength again proved useful as he dislodged the doors of the city gate and made his exit. Samson didn’t stay till morning, but he still stayed too long.
Proverbs 5 tells us of the seduction of adultery. The adulteress looks good. She has sweet words to match her sweet lips. She is trained in seduction and knows just how much to reveal to catch the eyes of the men passing by. As she waves to the men, and giggles, and flirts, she becomes the black widow that invites her prey into her trap. Some fall victim, like Samson, but all are encouraged to resist. Her path leads to death, her steps straight to the grave. It is from her that we are encouraged to run, as Joseph did when seduced by Potiphar’s wife. “Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house…” (Prov 5:8). Who will listen?
Are we any different? We may not desire or accept the offer of a present day prostitute seen on the corner, but do we not pay the fee of the prostitute of sin? Do we not walk into the house of an addiction, or a lie, or a theft, or anything contrary to God’s Word? All sin is the acceptance of one night with a prostitute, and the cost for her pleasure is our death. Yes we have forgiveness through Christ, but let us stop using Him as our crutch and start obeying Him by keeping a path far from sin. And not only should we stay away, but we should help others stay clear of her street. “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted” (Gal 6:1). Isn’t time that we pay more attention to what road we’re on and steer clear of the red light district of sin?