JUDGES 15

If you like sports, you’ve probably heard the old saying that the best defense is a good offense. In other words, in the middle of a game, instead of trying to fight off an attack from the opposing team, you want to be on the offensive. You want to have to make them shut you down... not the other way around. The best defense is a good offense.

Nobody knows this better than God. And this chapter of Judges really drove home the point to me. Did you notice the pattern running through this sordid, little chapter? Samson goes off on a rampage against the Philistines because they gave his wife to someone else. So, they retaliate and come against the tribe of Judah in order to get revenge on Samson.

And both of them say the same thing. First, the Philistines tell the people of Judah, "We have come to take Samson prisoner... to do to him as he did to us." (vs 10) And when the men of Judah went to question Samson about the problem, he said he was justified in his actions because "I merely did to them what they did to me." (vs 11)

I will do to you what you did to me. That’s a picture of defense. And a vengeful one at that.

It immediately made me think about Jesus, and His contrasting picture of a good offense: "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." (Mt 7:12) I love how The Message Bible states it, even more offensively: "Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them."

I will do to you what I would want you to do to me. That’s a picture of offense. And a good one at that.

That’s the way God runs His kingdom. He doesn’t "pay us back" for our evil. He doesn’t go on the defensive. Instead, He is always on the offensive, initiating kindness to us, returning good for evil. He doesn’t have to add anything bad to the already-destructive consequences of sin. Instead, where we allow Him, He works to heal the damage done.

God believes that the best defense is a good offense. As David said, "Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life." (Ps 23:6) While revenge is on our minds, goodness is on God’s mind. The only thing He attacks us with is kindness!