I imagine that many of us can recall occasions when we have ‘sailed close to the wind’ and believed that we could get away with a wrong deed, because there did not seem to be much harm in what we were doing. This was, indeed, the story of Samson’s life.

• separation from wine and strong drink – he compromised this Nazarite vow by being found in the vineyards of Timnah – Judges chapter 14 verse 5;
• separation from corruption / dead bodies – he broke this vow by touching the carcass of a lion, Judges chapter 14 verse 8 and handling the jawbone of an ass, Judges chapter 15 verse 15;
• long hair – no razor on his head – he shared with Delilah and, through her, with the Philistines, the secrets of his strength, i.e., his long hair – Judges chapter 16 verse 19. What seemed at the time to be a harmless action by Samson to take a Philistine wife, put him on a steep downward pathway to spiritual destruction. He loved her, but she enticed him and pressurized him to reveal secrets to her that she ought never to have been told, Judges chapter 16 verses 4, 5, 16-18.

The outcomes of these seemingly harmless indiscretions proved absolutely disastrous for Samson, his parents and the children of Israel!

• he lost his power;
• he lost his Nazariteship and fell to the level of an ordinary man;
• he became blind – the Philistines put out his eyes;
• he lost his freedom – he was taken down to Gaza and bound with fetters;
• he was put to work in the prison house.

We must always be aware of the damage we can do to others as well as to ourselves, when we ‘sail close to the wind’.