8.30.2010

The Power of the Nag

As I’ve matured, I’ve come to appreciate the differences between men and women. That’s not to say that one sex is superior, but we have different strengths and gifts. However, one that I have to admit that I’ve used is the female power of persuasion. Yes, friends, the power of the nag. Now I know what you’re thinking: nagging is annoying and where doth the power lay? I’m so glad you asked! Since I never claim to have the answers, I decided to again examine Samson’s story to learn about this power.

As we examine Judges 13-15, we see two women that use their persuasiveness to get what they want, which is, in both cases, information. The first woman, who Samson was to marry, nagged him for the answer to a riddle so her kinsmen could appear wise and present an answer to Samson. Then there’s Delilah. Oh Delilah….

I wrote about how bad this chick had to be in an earlier post. She was probably the kind of woman that made men’s heads turn and other women just had to give her props. Hair and makeup were probably in place at all times and you know she wore linen. Anywho, this girl knew what she had and knew how to use it. So what’s the big deal? Again, excellent question friends!

Delilah asked Samson the same question THREE times before he gave her the answer she was looking for. When she somehow knew he was telling the truth, she took advantage of that and assisted in his capture by the Philistines. This girl knew the power of the nag and was not afraid to use it!

The somewhat elusive power is displayed all throughout the Bible, starting with Eve persuading Adam to take a bite of whatever kind of fruit that was (possibly a fig or date). I can almost hear the conversation and see it play out in my head:

“Adam (said sweetly, y'all know how we can say a name sweetly), I know that God said we weren’t supposed to eat this fruit, but the serpent said we’d be like God if we take a bite. Baby, don’t you want to be like God? Then we’d know things and well, let’s just try it.”

Genesis doesn’t explain if there was any back and forth conversation between the two of them at this point, but it’s a possibility. Whatever conversation ensued, Adam was convinced and the power of the nag was victorious for the first time in history! …Or was it?

See, this power of persuasion is, I believe, a gift God has given to women. It’s true that men don’t have the same power. Sure, they may try, but it is just not the same I tell ya. Looking at this power being victorious requires an examination of true victory and whether or not it really took place in any of the above situations. Victory is when you win and, in relationships, you should look for both partners to be victorious, not one over the other. With Samson and Delilah, I guess you can say Delilah won to a certain extent. She got the information she desired and got paid in the process. However, what was her reputation after that? Was she just known as a deceitful woman who will use her femininity to harm men? Was she able to form any substantial relationships after Samson? How did she feel after she learned of what the Philistines did to him? So yes, she got what she wanted, but I wouldn’t say she was victorious.

As Christians, our victory lies in Christ (I Corinthians 15:57). We are actually more than conquerors through him (Romans 8:37). So in using our power of persuasion, if we’re looking to win, all roads should point to Christ. We shouldn’t use the power of the nag to persuade our brethren to do things that would be to their detriment, e.g., trying to get Samson to disclose the secret of his power to take advantage of it. However, because we have this power of persuasion, we should use it to point to Christ in all we do.

Proverbs 18:22 (MSG) says, “Find a good spouse, you find a good life—and even more: the favor of God!” Ladies, that means that we are connected to favor and blessings. However, when we use the power of the nag negatively, we can sever relationships and even turn others away from God, which could lead to serious consequences for us. On the other hand, when we use this power for good, we not only serve as a connection to favor, but we also have the opportunity to reap from its benefits.

So the next time you decide to use your power of persuasion, consider these questions:
What is my goal?
And will the end result lead to Christ?