One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her. Judges 16:1

Samson was a mess. The man was commissioned before birth to come into the world and do great things. He was dedicated to live a holy and separate life, though, when he lived, he was a bully, a womanizer and respected no one. He barely seemed to have a relationship with God.

How could God use him?

Samson was a sinner, no doubt about that. He sought out women outside the Israelite tribes, dishonored his parents, slept with prostitutes and had anger issues. He was a Nazirite and took a vow never to touch any grape products, touch dead things or cut this hair. He kept two of those vows and caved in on the third before his death.

But his job was to bring terror and death to the Philistines and with that he succeeded. The Philistines were a bunch of godless bullies so God threw at them a godless bully. As one man, he created more havoc and killed more Philistines than an army of “good” men. That’s all he was supposed to do. Be a terrorist.

By the end, during his death, Samson had a change of heart, turned to God and asked to be used. His death was noble and noteworthy.

God uses imperfect people so why are we to judge how imperfect they can be? Every Christian has varying degrees of sin in their life and God can use them all in some way. If he didn’t use sinful people, God would have no one to choose from. Samson was the right guy at the right time in history.

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets. . .Hebrews 11:32

Samson, somehow, got listed in the Faith Hall of Fame, with other leaders, even David and Samuel. He still deserves a place in God’s great leaders, because God used him and he finished well.