Terrell Owens, Samson, Grace and Selflessness

image found on ESPN.com

          When one looks into the context of the story of Samson, some Sunday school curricula might need to readjust from portraying him as an exemplary and biblical version of Last Action Hero. And he probably wasn't a buff-looking guy either. Otherwise, why would people be searching for the "secret" of his strength? These were some surprising things to learn. Here's an excerpt from K. Lawson Younger:

          "Samson is by far the best known of all the judges. Sermons and Sunday School lessons often concentrate on his various heroic deeds as quite positive attributes. But the picture from the context —especially when the entire cycles section is considered —is very different. Many of Samson's heroic feats are seen as blatant acts of disobedience to the Law, acts of a selfishly motivated man who cares little for his spiritual calling."

          Even when Samson literally brings the house down while in captivity, sacrificing himself, it's not the redeeming work that some might make it out to be. Israel remained undelivered from the Philistines and relationally distant from God. Killing Philistines alone wouldn't solve either of those problems, though Samson killed many for personal vengeance. Regardless of where Samson's heart was as he, chained and with eyes gouged out, pushed the pillar, it was too little and too late to compensate for his past. That's why we have God's grace.  

          A curious thought popped into my head while I was on the way out of that grad school class: Samson is the Terrell Owens of the Bible. (I posted it as a status on Facebook and a Jewish friend of mine curiously "liked" it). Talented and strong, but with incomplete output and career due to selfish vanity and general disagreeability. At the time, Owens was with the Dallas Cowboys. 

          And now he's with the Seattle Seahawks.

          Owens has been with the Niners, Eagles, Cowboys, Bills, Bengals and an indoor football team, the Allen Wranglers, most-to-all of which released him due to some off-the-field issue. And it's gotten really hard for him to find an employer. In the meantime, he's rapped a single, written a children's book, done sports commentary, created breakfast cereal, made cameos, starred in a failed reality show, and appeared on Dr. Phil under allegations from three different women that he's behind on child support.

          I'm not going to be too optimistic, but I think this new contract with the Seattle Seahawks could be different. Owens will be catching throws, likely, from Aaron Rodgers' impressive former backup Matt Flynn, and he's seeming to be a changed man, no longer like Samson.

          Will his contract with the Seattle Seahawks and new lease on life redeem him and his legacy from his past? It could take awhile, and it may not happen, but that's why we have God's grace.