Hello,
As my hair thins out….or should I say, as it has thinned out….I think
that it looks better when I keep it cut short. My ever rising forehead with its desert-like hair coverage
stands out less when the sidewalls of my head are trimmed. So, it happened that I looked in the
mirror and I said to myself, “I really need to get my hair cut.”
A while ago I wrote in the Bungee Cord about my barber who not only is
graceful with her scissors, but is a vessel of God’s grace to the regulars who
sit in her chair. Showing them
unconditional kindness. Listening
with a patient and careful ear. Speaking
words of encouragement and guidance.
Her one-chair barber shop is far more than just a place to get a good
hair cut.
So, on the way to make a hospital call, I thought I would stop by and
get my ears lowered. As I neared
her shop, I noticed that there weren’t any cars parked in front of it, and I
thought to myself, “You’re in luck today.” Unfortunately, my hopes were premature, because as I came up
to her shop there was a hand written sign on the door, “Closed Today”. No wonder there were no cars. I drove past, deciding to come back
next week.
This past week next week came, and as I drove up to her shop, no cars
again. Also, again, a
professionally printed sign in the window, “Closed for a couple of weeks due to
illness.” Hope she’s okay.
I looked in my rearview mirror and concluded that although I needed my
hair to be cut, it could wait.
Sure, there are plenty of other places in town that I could get my hair
cut, but I have become familiar with my barber. She knows how I like my hair, and she does a good job in
spite of the fact that she has very little to work with. Disappointed, I drove on.
If you wake up on Sunday morning and the thought pops into your head,
“Should I go to church today?”, have you ever considered one of the answers to
be, “Yes, someone may need me to be there for them.” Have you ever thought yourself to be akin to my barber, a
person who can snip through the tangled mats of a person’s life like no one
else. Someone, like none other,
that they have come to trust.
Someone, like none other, that they respect and admire.
Sure, there’s lots of other wonderful people who will be in church on
any given Sunday. Sure, the pastor
will be there, but the truth is that there are those with whom each of us makes
a uniquely deep connection….and maybe it will be that someone will come to
church, hoping to find you there.
Knowing my barber, I am sure that she is anxiously awaiting the day that
she can get back to the scissors.
She knows that people are hoping to find her in her shop, and not just
to have their hair cut.
I know that there are lots of good reasons for you to respond
affirmatively to yourself when you ask, “Should I go to church this
morning.” (To have your life
shaped by God’s grace and mercy.
To go to the Lord’s table and feast on his life giving grace. To be empowered to face the week ahead
with hope and peace. To gain a
greater understanding of the depth of God’s love for you.) To all those great reasons, there is
another: someone might be hoping to find you there.
Have a great week.
God’s grace and peace, (ggap)
Pastor Jerry Nuernberger
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