Often when we’re pushing the envelope for what we can do that won’t displease God, there’s a false pretense to our questions. Samson’s story testifies to this. As a Nazirite, he had three obligations to fulfill: he was to abstain from fermented drink (wine), he was not to touch dead bodies, and he was never to cut his hair. 

Judges 14 records his first missteps on the edge of danger. Verse 5 says he approached the vineyards of Timnah. Vineyards are where wine comes from - on the edge. Then after killing a lion he notices honey and bees inside its carcass, so he carefully scoops the honey out, and even brings some to his parents. 

But, as verse 9 describes, he doesn’t tell them where he got the honey from. Why? He would have been embarrassed, he again was on the edge of danger with his naziritte blessing that disparriaged him from touching a dead body. If you know Samson’ story, these small compromises are only the beginning of his demise. But there’s a lesson here. 

God can use us even in our most broken state, and big compromises always have a beginning in small compromises. Don’t play with fire.