After my grandfather came from Italy, he became a barber and all six of his children had to pitch in to help in the shop. That shop was where my dad learned his barbering. As a young man dad went off to the war and after coming home settled on opening a beauty salon. On Mondays, dad closed the store for cleaning and while I helped sweep the floors and clean the chairs, we had some of our best talks. Dad loved telling stories and one of his favorites was how many of the ladies washed their hair before coming in, even though they knew he would wash it again. They just couldn’t stand the idea of him seeing that their hair dirty! Now you might think that silly, but sometimes we do the same thing when we go to church. Think of church as Heaven’s beauty shop, where God has a message and fellowship prepared for us that can help us with our dirty hair and give us a loving style again. But instead, of coming to ask God for His help, we decide that we better get ourselves washed up at home, so maybe He won’t notice. Even crazier is that, unlike dad’s clientele, we do not even have to pay the bill. Instead, God has chosen to pay in advance at Calvary, for everything we have ever done. He is not angry when we come with our needs and problems, instead He is ready to wash away our sin and exchange it for grace and beauty and leaves us a new lifestyle. Then, He proudly shows anyone who wants to know that our hair as well as our soul is squeaky clean and ready for Heaven! The hymn “Just as I Am”, reminds us how Jesus calls us to come.
Beauty Shop
Heaven’s Beauty Salon
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:22 ESV
When my grandfather came from Italy, he became a barber and all six children had to pitch in and help. Though my dad learned the ins and outs of barbering while he was growing up, after coming home from the war, he decided that styling lady’s hair paid better so he got his license as a hairdresser. By the time I was a teen-ager Dad had his own beauty salon and when he closed on Mondays to clean the store, He and I had some of our best talks while sweeping the floor together and cleaning the hair dryers. Dad loved telling funny stories about the shop and one of his favorites was that the ladies always made sure to wash their hair before coming in, then paid Him to wash it again. They just could not bear the thought of my dad finding that their hair wasn’t already squeaky clean! Now you might think that silly, but don’t we sometimes do the same thing with God? He invites us to come to Heaven’s beauty shop (the church) – dirty hair and all. But instead, we decide that we need to get washed up at home, or if we do show up, we just worship halfheartedly because we feel unworthy to really participate. But the craziest part of all is that, unlike dad’s clientele, we do not even have to pay the bill. Instead, God has chosen to pay in advance at Calvary, for everything we have ever done. He is not angry that we show up with needs and problems, instead He asks to take away our burden of sin and in exchange give us His yoke of grace. Then He gently lifts away the condemnation of guilt and leaves us a new life style. Then He proudly shows anyone who wants to know that our hair as well as our soul is squeaky clean and ready for Heaven!
Heaven’s Beauty Shop
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 ESV
When my grandfather came from Italy, he became a barber and most of his six children also ended up cutting hair for a living. Of course, dad helped in the shop while he was growing up, but after coming home from the war, he decided that coiffing lady’s hair paid way better than barbering, so he got his license as a hairdresser.
By the time I was a teen-ager Dad had his own shop and he closed on Mondays to clean the store. Some of our best talks revolved around our times sweeping the floor together and cleaning out the hair driers. Dad always loved telling funny things about the business and one of his favorites was that even though he charged to wash their hair, the ladies always made sure to wash it before they came to the shop. They just could not bear the thought of dad finding hair that wasn’t already squeaky clean!
Now you might think that pretty ridiculous, but don’t we sometimes do the same thing with God? He invites us to come to church (Heaven’s beauty shop) with our dirty hair and all. But instead, we decide that we need to get cleaned up at home first, or if we do show up, we just worship halfheartedly because we feel unworthy to really participate.
But the craziest part of all is that, unlike dad’s clientele, we do not even have to pay the bill. Instead, God has chosen to pay in advance at Calvary, for everything that we need. He is not angry when we show up with needs and problems, instead He is delighted to take up our burden of sin and in exchange give us His yoke of grace. Then He gently lifts away the condemnation of guilt and in exchange leaves us a burden of His love that we have the privilege to carry all the way home!
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