Today’s readings tell two seemingly parallel stories. In the first reading, we hear about an angel appearing to the wife of Manoah, announcing that though she had previously been barren, she would conceive a child, Samson, who would be “consecrated to God from the womb.” Scripture tells us that “the boy grew up and the Lord blessed him; the Spirit of the lord stirred him.” In the Gospel, we’re told the story of the previously barren Zechariah and Elizabeth learning they will have a son, John the Baptist. An angel tells Zechariah that John “will be great in the sight of the Lord… He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.”

Now, it might be tempting to read this and think of John the Baptist as a new Samson (they even both eat wild honey!). The lectionary conveniently cuts the story short before Samson leaves infancy. Because the thing is, Samson grew up to be a pretty terrible person. He comes at the end of a long line of corrupt leaders, and is arguably the worst of them all. How is such a person blessed by God?

I don’t think the message here is that the God of the Old Testament condoned horrid behavior and shaped up in time for Luke’s gospel to begin. Yahweh is the same in Judges as in Luke. Rather, I think we see that God can work through anyone from Samson to John the Baptist. He uses in each of us what he can to bring about the greater good.

If you’re one of the good ones and live “observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly” like John and his parents, then you have nothing to worry about. But if you’re like me, you know that as much as you’d like to be like John, you have a bit of Samson in you, a bit that’s ugly and not what God intended. But today’s readings show us that even in your ugliness, the Lord can stir you. You, too, can help prepare the way.