Self-Discipline – Samson

Without self-discipline, leaders fail.

Discipline does not automatically make a person a leader. But without self-discipline, a leader will not remain a leader for very long.

• In politics, more heads of state have failed because of a lack of self-discipline than because of bad policy.
• In the church, more pastors have failed because of poor self-discipline than because of bad theology.
• In business, more leaders have sabotaged their careers through lack of self-discipline than through lack of success.

Having self-discipline matters greatly for the sustained work of a leader. Why? The people being led expect the following things from their leader:

• They want to see character in their leader.
• They want to observe competence in their leader.
• They want to experience compassion from their leader.
• They want to feel commitment in their leader.
• They want to feel a connection to their leader.
• They want to make a contribution together with their leader.
• They want to see remorse and humility in their leader.
• They want to embrace their leader's why.
• They want to see consistency in their leader.
• They want to have trust in their leader.
• They want to feel courage in their leader.
• They want to recognize convictions in their leader.

Every leader does well to develop self-discipline in these areas and to be a consistent example in them.

How can a leader build self-discipline?

How does a leader become disciplined? Dozens of books try to answer this question. They address various dimensions. But the most fascinating dimension here is the spiritual dimension of discipline. Spiritual discipline begins when a leader develops personal principles they want to live for and would be willing to die for. That is our starting point for spiritual discipline. These principles and convictions arise when people

• have studied and learned what God's Word says on a given topic.
• decide to apply God's Word in daily life and obey it.
• have exposed themselves to and confronted a strong need.
• reflect on and pray about certain truths over an extended period of time.
• have decided what is worth living and dying for.
• associate with people who hold principles in the same areas.
• settle a matter before they are forced to.

Every leader should have a personal list of their most important principles and guidelines. Then they can regularly ask themselves whether they are self-disciplined in these areas, and keep developing them.

Judges 16:1-20
1 Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.
2 And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.
3 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.
Samson's Fall and Revenge
4 And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.
5 And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.
6 And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.
7 And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.
9 Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.
10 And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.
11 And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
12 Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.
13 And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.
14 And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.
15 And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.
16 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;
17 That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.
18 And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.
19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
20 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.