We all have heroes, and that’s a good thing. The Bible is full of heroes—some men, some women, some old, some young, some mighty in battle, some poor and struggling. The best heroes set an example for us in faith, hope, and love.

But here’s the thing to remember about our heroes: none of them were perfect. Or I should say: none of them were perfect except for one—the Savior, the Son of God, the Snake Crusher we will meet later in the story. Every other hero is a mixed bag—like a sack full of jelly beans and baby carrots (you can ask your parents which part of that mixed bag is the good part).

One of the most famous heroes in the Bible is also one of the most flawed. His name was Samson. He was mighty in battle and mighty in the Spirit of God. But he also made some mighty big mistakes. Like a lot of special people in the Bible, Samson’s parents weren’t able to have children. So when God blessed Manoah and his wife with a baby, they knew God was up to something. An angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “You are going to have a baby, but no wine for you and no haircuts for him.”

It was a special vow to the Lord. And as long as Samson let his hair grow long, God gave him incredible strength. He did things you and I can’t do (and shouldn’t try!). One time he tore a lion apart. Another time he struck down thirty men after they played a trick on him. Another time he caught three hundred foxes, tied torches to their tails, and set them loose in the fields of the Philistines (ask your mom first before you try this for yourself). And another time he struck down a thousand men with the jawbone of a donkey. He was a mighty judge in Israel for twenty years.

What a hero, even a superhero. But I haven’t told you about Delilah yet. She was Samson’s girlfriend, and the Philistines gave her 1,100 pieces of silver to find out the secret of his strength. Three times Samson lied to her, but the fourth time she begged, he finally gave up his secret. While he was asleep, Delilah shaved off his hair, so that when the Philistines came in, his Spirit-powered superpowers were gone.

The Philistines poked out his eyes and chained him between two pillars while they partied at the expense of the once-mighty Samson. They thought they had defeated God’s great champion. But Samson prayed for strength one last time, and God granted his request. Samson pushed apart the two pillars and brought the party crashing down. Even in death he was victorious over the Philistines.

Samson wouldn’t be the last hero betrayed for a handful of silver, or the last one mocked and mistreated, or the last hero to die for his people. God had planned for another hero to save the day, and this one, unlike all the others, would not have his own sins to be saved from.