A lock of hair

The Lord . . . [shows] Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.  — 2 Chronicles 16:9

After the return from the moon, Neil Armstrong was often plagued by the media. Seeking greater privacy, he moved his family into a small town. But notoriety was a nuisance even there. Armstrong’s barber found out that people would pay good money to get a lock of his hair. So after giving the space hero several haircuts, he sold the clippings to a buyer for $3,000! Armstrong was shocked at the barber’s disloyalty.

The Scriptures tell of another story of disloyalty, and a haircut. As a symbol of God’s calling of Samson as a Nazirite, he was never to cut his hair (Judg. 13:5). When the Spirit of God came upon him, he was given superhuman strength over his enemies (15:14). Wanting to overpower him, the Philistines hired Delilah, a woman who had a relationship with him, to find out the secret of that strength. He foolishly told her that his power would be gone if his hair were cut. She lulled him to sleep and had him shorn (16:5, 19).

Greed can drive us to be disloyal to others and to God, causing us to make sinful choices. Our desire should be to exhibit a heart that is fully committed to love the Lord and others. He shows “Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chron. 16:9). — Dennis Fisher

O Lord, may my heart be loyal to You

In all that I say and all that I do;

When a trusted person is not a true friend,

I know that on You I can always depend. — Hess

READ: Judges 16:4-17

Loyalty is the test of true love.

The Bible in one year:

• Jeremiah 12-14

• 2 Timothy 1