Hair

  Should dudes have short hair and dudettes have long? Oh boy is this a contentious issue.

  I raise the issue because I am presently letting my hair grow out. I am not sure why, but it seems like something I want to do. And so I am.

   A funny thing happened though. When my wife saw my hair getting longer she said, "You need a haircut". In fact I think it may have been the first thing she said to me upon seeing me. Don't worry, I will cut it soon enough. Just not yet.

  Putting aside any issue of if you think I should cut my hair, let's dive into the morality of long hair on a dude. Hair and morality, I know, kind of a silly combination of words.

  For a great start, you are likely rushing over to the book of 1st Corinthians 11 to brush up on the verses dealing with the subject. We read in those verses the question, "Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame to him?".

  So here comes my battle. I don't think nature teaches that. I have never in my life went out and observed nature and thought, "Dudes should cut their hair". I know this seems like I am challenging scripture, but am I really? When have you looked at a lion and said, "wow, he is so tough, but his mane is a shame". I have never done that. I don't get it. Lions look goofy when they don't have manes. And men can get freaked out when they lose theirs.
 
  I really don't get it. Am I alone in this? Did you go out and observe nature and come to the belief that short hair on a dude is the correct way. Is Paul posing the question so that you may form your own answer?

  The other idea put forth in those verses deals with a man covering up his head when he goes to worship. I do feel strange wearing a hat while singing, praying or reading the Bible. So I don't do it. Is that what that verse means?

  Am I being contentious? Yep. Well now, that's a great attitude to have Josh. Is this topic so tough? Why? The same discussion isn't made about fingernail length. Why not? Clearly some people (mostly women) let their nails grow so long it hinders them of being of service to the Lord. Jump on that one! C'mon, I am trying to be funny here! Lighten up a bit and smile.

  But this isn't what my battle with hair is about. I can do battle in the scriptures and prove (at least to myself) that long hair can be ok for a dude. I can show where the very same author of the book of 1st Corinthians took the vow of the nazarene and that vow forbade a man to cut his hair. Then there is that last verse in 1Cor 11 that says that the church doesn't have any custom about this subject! Really! Seems like most I have gone into have set up that custom.

   Just like I talked about in my previous blog about dancing, I don't want to blindly follow opinions. "Opinions are like noses, they all smell".

  What's the point, I say!  Do I really need to get all bent up over hair. Why not just get a haircut and not worry about it? "But, I don't wanna cut my hair", Josh says while crossing his arms in a huff. Besides I want to grow it out now before there is no grass to mow, if you know what I mean. 

  I have no idea if I am blowing this way out of shape. Believe me when I say that this issue can get me spinning sideways. For some unknown reason I want to grow out my hair (the mowing thing might be it). This will change I am sure. But for now I want to grow it out.

  One more thing, I am so tired of judging others for how long or short their hair is. Of what importance is that to me? They must answer to God for their faith and what they believe. I must stop the battle on others and fight harder on the battle for what I do.

  Well, that felt good. Getting this off my mind was helpful. It was a bit hard to see what I was typing through my hair though. Just kidding.