What hair issue?

From 3/9/04 journal entry

“I got my hair cut today.  It hasn’t been this short since I was in the 7^th grade.  It looks so cute! I look much younger and my hair looks thicker.  The gray is gone also, of course.  I feel well groomed, feminine and classy.  I feel good about myself.  After I got in the car, I prayed, “Father, are You OK with this?” and the answer immediately was, “Absolutely yes!”  It was one of those rare and totally unpremeditated answers that I feel very confident was from God.  While driving home, I thought about my hair being my glory.  It felt that way today because my hair was pretty and healthy.”

Ah, the hair issue.  It became very clear to me while I was still in the Work, having uncut long hair had nothing to do with my spirituality.  God looks on the heart and I knew I could have my hair up and have a rotten spirit and/or attitude! Just as I could have short hair and have a beautiful spirit.  It is a heart issue; not a hair issue. I’m not going to go into theological explanations of those verses about the hair except to say, I studied them very closely.  I looked at the entire context of the Scripture.  It just became very clear to me, that it was never meant to be an issue.  Women in Bible times may have had long hair, but that is not the case today.  I have known many women who have every length and style of hair and they are very Godly women and are filled with the Holy Spirit.  I don’t ever read of any women in the Bible taking the Nazarite vow to never cut their hair.

When hair is the issue, focus once again is shifted away from the inward.  I can remember being told it was an outward sign of my submission on the inside.  Hmmmm.  I only had long hair because it was expected of me.

I remember one year about 2 months before convention suddenly panicking that my hair might not be long enough by convention to get it “up”.  My panic made me stop and look at the issue again.  God had given His blessing; it was the approval of the group I was terrified of losing.  I didn’t want to be in that kind of bondage any longer.

My hair is a lot shorter today than in the above referenced journal entry.  I know I look a lot younger; less weighed down and I certainly feel better about everything!  Besides, it is so much fun.  Now, when I pass a woman on the street with her hair up in a professing bun, it screams to me “there is a religious fanatic”.  It does not speak beauty, peace or a shining light in the darkness.  Long hair is beautiful as long as it is styled and healthy.  A little make-up and earrings help too!!  Ah, I’m digressing from the subject matter.  I’m going to write more on this tomorrow.