My hair is changing. There is much more gray in it than there was just a few years ago. Thankfully, I still have most of it, though I know it’s thinning as well. In the grand scheme of things, it’s a small part of my life. Most days, I hardly notice it; on others, it crosses my mind a bit more. Vanity exists on a spectrum; some people are deeply affected by their appearance, while others hardly give it a thought. We all fall somewhere along that scale, each with our own sense of how much it matters.
Last week, Doug Duncan and I were talking about how long we can go before needing a haircut. At this stage of life, I need a trim about once a month. When I was in the military, it had to be more frequent. I remember times when my formal dress was being inspected, and I’d worry about whether my hair looked unkempt, which meant touching my ear. I was probably criticized once or twice for it being too scraggly or long. Those years may have left some lingering effects on how I think about my hair.
When you think about it, hair is such a small part of our lives, yet it can still occupy our thoughts from time to time. And still others may let it consume a lot of their time. Perhaps that’s why Jesus often used hair as an example of something inconsequential, something beyond our control. Consider his words below:
Matthew 5:33-37 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.”
Matthew 10:27-31 “What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
I don’t control the color of my hair, its length, or how much of it I have. Jesus reminds us that there are things far more important, our souls chief among them. Compared to the state of your soul, earthly concerns like hair are fleeting. Don’t make promises about things you can’t control, like your hair, but do take responsibility for what you say and the messages you share. Those words can have a lasting impact on your soul and on others. We are often consumed by trivial matters, but it’s the deeper things, our souls and our words, that truly deserve our attention. We can all care a little less about our hair.