It’s easier to lose control over a thing than to actually apply self discipline. It is indeed. But the easier way isn’t always the right way. Each act of instant self pleasing/gratification, rather than self control, has repercussions.
In the previous post, we talked about 2 Bible characters who portrayed self-control and today, it’d be the total opposite. So far, this series has been amazing. You can read up from the first post in this category right here.
The Bible is filled with stories; stories of amazing characters and plots. Characters who were so real that sometimes, in some situations, you can perfectly relate with their experiences. Stories of their successes, setbacks, weaknesses, joys, despair, reluctance, their ability to develop self-control, and of course, the lack of it in some cases. They were very much human; just as you are too and that is why we’d be studying two of them. That being said, let’s explore 2 Bible Characters who lost control at some point in their lives.
Eve (Genesis 3:1-6)
Familiar story, I know. But did you ever think of it from the standpoint of a lack of self control? Well, it is.
That sunny afternoon in Eden, Eve was hanging out by herself in the cool of a shady tree when the serpent came slithering by. Being the female version of Tarzan, she was not even a wee bit scared. They were all pals after all. After pleasantries were exchanged and cheesy comments were passed over the weather, there was a little silence. “Sooooo, what do you think about that tree over there?” The serpent was sly; it definitely knew its onions.
“That one? Oh yeah, it’s my favorite. Adam and I have it like almost every day.” She went on and on talking about all the fruit trees they’d tried and why she loved them. She was quite the talker, if you ask me. “Mmm, interesting. You’ve tasted and talked about all but one. Why’s that?” The serpent was patient, calculating and definitely knew how to make her longing rise. “The forbidden fruit!” She exclaimed in a bitter tone. There was longing in her heart for the fruit and now it was obvious in her voice as well.
“…But did God really say…?” And soon, the rest of the story became history. The serpent had her exactly where it wanted— in a conflict between making brash decisions to satisfy her desires and curiosity and sticking to what she knew and believed to be right. “One bite wouldn’t hurt.” The serpent must have told her, which she in turn must have rehearsed to herself repeatedly and eventually let herself believe. But it did. Oh, how it did. One ‘harmless’ bite cost us humanity for what we would have known it to be.
What went wrong?
What did we say about desires and temptations hitting hard on those desires? Yeap, that was exactly the case. One accurate description of the serpent was the word “cunning”; it was cunning, manipulative and a whole lot more. If there’s a trait common to humans which I’ve noticed, it’s the fact that when there are rules, we have this heightened desire to break them. A typical case of the dare devil at work. Everyone— except probably for those who like to play safe— get a thrill from knowing what lies in wait for them after breaking the rules.
When you notice someone/something pushing you closer to the edge; driving hard and picking on your desires, remember Eve and the lengthy conversation she had with the serpent. It was that— giving more room for her desires to be probbed— that made her lose control, which ultimately cost so much. All I’m saying is this; when temptation comes knocking and tries to question your healthy boundaries, run! When temptation comes and tries to pressure you into giving in to your desires without taking time to think it through, flee! You’re about to lose that self-control which has taken you time to build.
Samson (Judges 16:4-22)
I bet you’re smiling already because you can readily recognize where I’m headed. We all know this story and must have at some point thought Samson to be a fool. Maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t, but that was lack of self control in action. Ironic isn’t it? That he was readily the strongest man in town, yet not so strong willed.
Are you familiar with the indestructible character of Captain Man from the Nickelodeon show, “Kid Danger”? Yeah! Think of Samson as a much stronger character than Captain Man. Ever watched the episode where Captain Man became destructible and vulnerable for some hours? Same thing happened with Samson after Delilah happened. But, let’s not jump ahead of ourselves.
That particular evening as Samson lay in Delilah’s lap, she stroked his hair, telling him things only fit for a lover’s ear, and then she stopped so suddenly it surprised him. She began to sulk. “It’s not fair that you promised to tell me everything about you, yet keep the most important of them a secret. You know everything about me, why is yours an exception? Besides, we’d be married soon. Is this how you want us to build the foundation of our home— on lies and secrecy?” Then she began to cry, like really cry. She knew what effects her tears had on him. She lifted his head from her lap as she rose and continued to cry.
Day after day, she gave him the silent treatment, refusing to give as much as a smile. Eventually, she broke him. When he could take it no more, he told her his secret, the source of his strength. His heightened emotions made him lose control over his tongue and he spilled.
What went wrong?
I remember a few times as a growing teen when I got a juicy secret I promised not to tell. Most of such times, all it took to break me was emotional blackmail. Tell me you wouldn’t be friends with me anymore and I’d spill the entire thing with an end note of “don’t tell anyone I told you o.” That was exactly Samson’s predicament. The woman he loved dearly just wanted to be involved in every area of his life nothing more, right? But unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.
Just like Samson, I was engulfed in the desire to be in my friends good books and so I made the same mistake over and again; it cost me each time. Samson didn’t remember that each time he had told her a lie about his strength, she had carried out an experiment. Whatever made him believe she wouldn’t try to experiment the truth as well.
Have you ever heard the phrase that “a man in love is weak”? Well, I have and I don’t agree with it. I believe rather, that a man in love who is ruled by his emotions and desires is weak, not a man generally in love. That’s better. And the latter was Samson’s case. If not for his desires which he let take the driver’s seat, he would have been a man in love yet still very strong, literally.
I thought of using David as a case study again— the affair story, that is— but then decided against it. However, that goes without saying that no one is perfect. But it also doesn’t change the fact that you need to develop self discipline consistently, in all areas of your life.
In one area you might be commended for displaying excellent self-control, yet in another, you’d almost get stoned for the lack of it. If you need practical steps on how to master the art of self-control, then hit that link.
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May your weekend be filled with productivity and bliss. See you on Sunday at 4:00pm (Nigerian time).
Cheers to steady growth.
Sending love and light your way,
Zoey.
Zoey 