A Biblically Bad Hair Day

“Delilah let Samson fall asleep on her lap; and she called a man, and had him shave off the seven locks of his head.  Samson began to weaken, and his strength left him.” – Judges 16:19

Since the mid-80’s, I have spent countless hours curling, drying, flat ironing, and inserting hot rollers and applying mousse to my hair.  In high school and college, perms were my style of choice, and I endured the two hours of tight rods and smelly chemicals needed to look fabulous.  With lots of hairspray, I was able to achieve “big” hair.  When I fixed my hair just the way I desired, my confidence level soared.

I felt crushed when a perm didn’t settle right or when my bangs were chopped too short!  Could I face the world looking so horrible?

No matter what our age, most of us strive for the best possible hair style.  But then how do we feel when grey hairs begin to sprout from our heads?  What happens when our hair thins from aging or falls out due to health problems?   

Samson’s understanding was that his power came through his flowing hair.  In a moment of weakness, Samson disclosed the reason for his powers, and his long locks were chopped from his head by his enemies.  In that moment, Samson believed that his strength had left him.  His “bad hair day” strangled his confidence.

Yet, Judges 16:22 claims “the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.”  No matter how short Samson’s locks were chopped, they began to grow immediately.  But even before his hair completely grew back, Samson had the power he needed during a time of crisis.  

Like Samson, if our cut is too short, our hair will grow back.  If our color is too blonde or too red, we can dye it another color.  In the meantime, we have wigs and hats to adorn our heads and lots of friends who love us just as we are.

Stylish looks are nice, but our genuine power comes from God, and our confidence thrives from being our authentic selves.   

Prayer

Beautiful and Handsome God, help us to see that we are made in your image.  Open our eyes to confidence that originates from our soul and not from hairstyles, new clothes or trendy accessories.  Help us to turn bad hair days into good news days.  Amen.

About the Author
Michelle L. Torigian is the Pastor of St. Paul United Church of Christ, Cincinnati, Ohio.