Samson & Delilah: Star Struggles, Other Bible Stars

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram, ‘The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.’

Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.

When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, ‘You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me.’

Genesis 16:1-5 (NIV)

Have mercy on me, O God,
According to your steadfast love;
According to your abundant mercy
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin!
For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.

Psalms 51:1-3 (ESV)

Before Samson struggled with Delilah, other Bible stars had messy struggles, including Elizabeth and David.

  • She got impatient to mother a child and made an ill-considered decision.

  • He got captivated with Bathsheba and made a detestable decision.

The consequences of their decisions brought multi-generational sorrows.

In David’s well-publicized life story (with volumes of Scripture surrounding him), we can see his agonizing regret and his sin’s ravaging repercussions.

Actors, models, and talent for Christ, BE OPEN with your personal mistakes: from stupid bloopers to major blunders. Why?

  • To reveal your own flawed humanity, since everyone (but Jesus) makes mistakes.

  • To become relatable to others, who are ashamed and buried in regrets.

  • To declare God’s neverending mercy, that’s ready to embrace broken people.

  • To show your God-produced happy ending, which can lift other people to stardom!

DON’T BE SECRETIVE about your struggles, because it’s not biblical or helpful. Expose yourself as a STILL-STRUGGLING star, because it gives hope to your audience, which must always be your motivation.

Samson & Delilah: Star Struggles, Other Bible Stars (Part 6)

NOTE: If you think you're not in show business, think again. Shakespeare said, 'All the world's a stage and all its men and women merely players. Mostly true. But you're not merely players. You are messengers and ambassadors for the King of kings.

Carey Arban