My mother was a hair stylist. Some of my earliest memories involve spinning in one of her chairs until I was so dizzy I could not stand up. There even came a point where she added a salon onto the back of our house so that we could be home all afternoon, eat a snack, do our homework, and not have to worry about inhaling an unacceptable amount of hairspray from being in her shop after school.
When your mom cuts hair, that means that you have weird ideas as to how you can wear your hair. Keep in mind, my head has multiple ‘cowlicks’ (salon talk for ‘nothing to work with’) and, if my hair is grown out the slightest bit too much, I bear a striking resemblance to a not-yet-fully-grown Chia Pet. However, I grew up in the 80’s, meaning that I was under the (hair-) stylistic influence of rappers like Kid N' Play (who wore their hair combed to stand completely straight at a bout a foot in length) and Brian Bosworth, who combined a flat-top on the top with lines shaved in the side of his head. To personalize the Boz’s look, I asked my mom to give me a perm in the back. Before I even knew what a mullet was, I had one. I have since destroyed all of the pictures so that my children never have anything in their hands that they can use for black-mail.
It was strange being the kid of a hair stylist. She would always tell me how other kids were scared to get anything done to their hair. They were afraid of the sharp scissors or the buzzing sound on the side of their head. But I never was. She used to tell me all of the time that I would fall asleep when I was really little.
I fell asleep because of my trust in the one who held the scissors. Her control meant more to me than anything I could fear.
Scripture teaches us to:
The writer of the Proverbs is pointing towards the same idea. We are to realize our need for God’s leadership and guidance and to consider his presence in our lives even when that does not seem possible. Even in difficulties. Even when our thoughts and instincts would tell us to do something else. We trust wholly.
The disciples had a difficult situation where they were sailing (Mark 4:35-40). Jesus was asleep in the boat and the everything was calm. We learn that a terrible storm came out of nowhere and that they feared for their lives. Jesus was still asleep. They went to Jesus and said, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Jesus stood up, told the water to calm down, and it did. He then questioned their faith, asking “You of little faith, why do you doubt?” And the disciples looked at one another and said, “Who is this guy?”
What may happen is that we lose the full significance of the story in the miracle. Jesus had said “We are going to the other side.” That is what they doubted-the Word of Jesus. And if we are not careful, we miss this all-important fact: Jesus was just as much in control when the waters were raging as when the storms were still.
To live as God calls is difficult. Yet, if we are to trust that Jesus really is LORD over all things and that in Him All things hold together (Colossians 1:15-20), we are to pray that God will help us in those seasons and storms of doubt. As a man said to Jesus in regards to the healing of his son, “LORD, I believe, help my unbelief (Mark 9:24).” We as followers can stand firm in what we believe-yet we pray that Jesus reminds us in those moments of doubt that He has not ceased to give us reasons to hold on to Him-that we trust Him to help our unbelief.
When your mom cuts hair, that means that you have weird ideas as to how you can wear your hair. Keep in mind, my head has multiple ‘cowlicks’ (salon talk for ‘nothing to work with’) and, if my hair is grown out the slightest bit too much, I bear a striking resemblance to a not-yet-fully-grown Chia Pet. However, I grew up in the 80’s, meaning that I was under the (hair-) stylistic influence of rappers like Kid N' Play (who wore their hair combed to stand completely straight at a bout a foot in length) and Brian Bosworth, who combined a flat-top on the top with lines shaved in the side of his head. To personalize the Boz’s look, I asked my mom to give me a perm in the back. Before I even knew what a mullet was, I had one. I have since destroyed all of the pictures so that my children never have anything in their hands that they can use for black-mail.
It was strange being the kid of a hair stylist. She would always tell me how other kids were scared to get anything done to their hair. They were afraid of the sharp scissors or the buzzing sound on the side of their head. But I never was. She used to tell me all of the time that I would fall asleep when I was really little.
I fell asleep because of my trust in the one who held the scissors. Her control meant more to me than anything I could fear.
Scripture teaches us to:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
(Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV)
The writer of the Proverbs is pointing towards the same idea. We are to realize our need for God’s leadership and guidance and to consider his presence in our lives even when that does not seem possible. Even in difficulties. Even when our thoughts and instincts would tell us to do something else. We trust wholly.
The disciples had a difficult situation where they were sailing (Mark 4:35-40). Jesus was asleep in the boat and the everything was calm. We learn that a terrible storm came out of nowhere and that they feared for their lives. Jesus was still asleep. They went to Jesus and said, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Jesus stood up, told the water to calm down, and it did. He then questioned their faith, asking “You of little faith, why do you doubt?” And the disciples looked at one another and said, “Who is this guy?”
What may happen is that we lose the full significance of the story in the miracle. Jesus had said “We are going to the other side.” That is what they doubted-the Word of Jesus. And if we are not careful, we miss this all-important fact: Jesus was just as much in control when the waters were raging as when the storms were still.
To live as God calls is difficult. Yet, if we are to trust that Jesus really is LORD over all things and that in Him All things hold together (Colossians 1:15-20), we are to pray that God will help us in those seasons and storms of doubt. As a man said to Jesus in regards to the healing of his son, “LORD, I believe, help my unbelief (Mark 9:24).” We as followers can stand firm in what we believe-yet we pray that Jesus reminds us in those moments of doubt that He has not ceased to give us reasons to hold on to Him-that we trust Him to help our unbelief.
