Faith And Conceit
A close look at the story of Samson reveals that he was a complicated soul - perhaps we all are. On one hand, he was a man who kept his cards close to his chest: in the early years of his life, he had major experiences (like killing the lion) which he didn’t share with those closest to him, like his parents. But it seems that Samson enjoyed being ‘in the know’. The use of a riddle as a challenge was commonplace as a wedding pastime in Samson’s day. But he seems to relish being the one who knew the key to what was an unsolvable secret, and even initially refused to allow his wife in on the game, which caused unbearable tension and conflict.
I’ve met people of faith who are smug in what they see as their advanced level of discipleship. They love to give the impression that they pray more, know more, understand great mysteries and are deeper in the things of God than everyone else. Challenge them, and they usually insist that the challenger is not sufficiently spiritual to understand their level of revelation. Frankly, it’s all rather nauseating, but perhaps not surprising. The example of the Pharisees in Jesus’ day makes it clear that religion can assault our humility; zealous people quickly become proud people, convinced of their own goodness.
Don’t be a person who is always looking to correct or find fault, or hunts for an opportunity to let others know what you know. And if you like to give the impression that you have a higher revelation of God than most others, then may I gently offer this revelation: you might be wrong.