SCRIPTURE: Judges 13
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
The angel of the LORD appeared to her and said, ‘You are sterile and childless, but you are going to conceive and have a son. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean, because you will conceive and give birth to a son. No razor may be used on his head, because the boy is to be a Nazirite, set apart to God from birth, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines.’ [Judges 13:3-5] All people are called by God, but not all are called to the same task. While every person is equal before God, each one has a unique calling, some more visible than others. The Nazirite [Numbers 6:1-21] is an example of a unique calling, a person who does not cut their hair, drink fermented drinks, or have contact with anything that has died. This person is a living object lesson who visibly demonstrates a life of focused devotion toward God, a reminder to the people of their calling to live for God heart, soul, mind and strength. Samson was supposed to be this kind of person (as we will see, he fails miserably).

But the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. [Luke 1:13-16] John the Baptist is also like a Nazirite, a living object lesson calling people back to God. Long hair, living in the desert, avoiding fermented drink, he stood out and people took notice. The Spirit of God empowers Samson and John to get the peoples’ attention!

Do we have such people today? Yes, though not in the same way as the old covenant. We’re all called to be Jesus-followers, but how we do that differs from person to person. The Lord may use some people in visible ways to get the attention of others. Like a missionary, or a well-known christian (Mother Theresa, Billy Graham), or a remarkable person in our congregation who demonstrates radical devotion to God. We’re not all called to do what they do, but they are living object lessons calling us back to our devotion to God.

Who is the Lord using around me to provoke, convict or inspire me? And I am living a life that provokes, convicts or inspires others? We are all called to love and serve God with our whole being, each in our own unique way. In a way, we are all called to be Nazirites, radically devoted to following Jesus.

PRAYER:
Lord, inspire me by others, and help me to inspire others… back to You!