Femme Fatales
Verse: Judges 16:4-22
A
femme fatale is a woman who uses the powers of seduction to lure a man
into a dangerous or compromising situation. One woman infamous for her
influence was Mata Hari. At the turn of the twentieth century in Paris,
Mata Hari created a fictitious persona and performed exotic Indian
dances to great acclaim. Although her background was fabricated,
Parisian society embraced her . . . and men were beguiled
by her. Her sensuous dance seduced powerful men in influential
positions. Many believe she used feminine guile to extract military
secrets. Ultimately, the French tried Mata Hari and executed her as a
double agent in World War I. At her trial she said, “Harlot, yes. But
traitor? Never!”
In
the Bible, we meet another woman who used her feminine allure to affect
the destiny of a man. During the time of the judges, Delilah used her
influence to discover the secrets of one of Israel’s judges, Samson.
Three different times Delilah begged him to give her information about
the source of his strength. Three times he resisted. Each time Delilah
proved herself false, calling for the Philistines to subdue the strong
man. More stunning is that Delilah used the same method over and over
again . . . and Samson allowed himself to be tricked each time.
Ultimately, Delilah discovered the truth about Samson’s strength and
turned him over to her countrymen.
Delilah’s
story shows how men can be swayed by women’s wiles and their own
desires. Delilah used her sexual attraction and her cunning to bring a
man down—for a price. She relentlessly manipulated Samson in order to
get the information she needed. When he finally revealed the truth, she
rushed to the Philistine rulers to gather her reward. In a heartbeat,
Samson lost not just his strength, but the divine gift God had bestowed
upon him.
We
think it would be great to be able to get our husbands, boyfriends,
coworkers, etc. to do what we want. And perhaps, sometimes, we do use
feminine wiles, manipulation and nagging to get our way. But are such
methods honest? Are they loving? Wouldn’t it be better to be the kind of
woman others can trust? How much better to employ honesty, kindness and
patience to build up the men we love, rather than trample them in the
pursuit of our selfish desires
Judges 16:15–16
Then
she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you won’t confide
in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t
told me the secret of your great strength.” With such nagging she
prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it.
Reflection
1. Have you ever nagged, manipulated or tricked a man in order to get your way?
2. How did it make you feel? How do you think it made him feel?
3. What words will you use to build up the men in your life?
Related Readings
Exodus 15:20-21; Isaiah 51:3; Ephesians 6:18
This devotion is from the NIV New Women's Devotional Bible or True Identity by Zondervan. Used with permission.
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