Hair

By Cheri Bunch
As parents, we should choose our battles wisely . . . especially when it comes to hair!

Our son Caleb has long hair. Everywhere that he goes, people think that he looks like Jesus. The truth is that he resembles the Hollywood version of Jesus. He has beautiful piercing blue eyes that seem to see right into your inner most being. He has a gentle spirit, very loving, so kind and compassionate. Most of the time, Caleb acts like Jesus!

Caleb was called to the mission field at a very young age and has served many places in the world. One of his favorite mission sites is in Brazil.

One day Caleb was waiting for a bus in Brazil. A family was sitting on the ground also waiting for a bus, but they were having a supper of cheese and crackers as they waited. A little girl in the family noticed Caleb and began to beckon him, “Come, come, you must come and eat with us!”

The little girl’s daddy frowned at her, but his look of disdain did not deter her. “Please, oh, won’t you please come and eat with us. We want to share with you!” The little girl’s daddy shook his head “No.”

She would not stop, “Hey, come here and eat with my family!”

Her daddy finally spoke, “Honey, we cannot feed every stranger that comes along!”

She replied, “Daddy, he can make more!”

She thought Caleb was Jesus.

When Caleb was in high school, there were battles over his hair. Board meetings were held at the Christian school, meetings that went late into the night, to determine if his sideburns were too long.

I was wondering what you might think of this. Do we, as Christians, major on minors? Do we make a big deal out of hair, clothes, rules, etc., and totally miss the point?

Caleb is getting married in October. His hair will be long. I would love for him to get it cut for the wedding. That is what I want. But you know, there might be someone at the wedding that needs a visual of Jesus . . . to be reminded!

What are your thoughts?