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Growing up, I took pride in my hair. I always tried to keep it cut and looking presentable. I couldn't have just anyone cut it, though. The barber had to know what they were doing. When I was in college, I used a hair product that was supposed to keep my hair looking decent until I could make it home to get a haircut. Instead, the product ruined my hair. It wasn’t long before I started having bald spots.
Not wanting to face the reality of losing my hair, I would grow it out and use the length of my hair to cover the bald spots. As long as you didn’t look closely, you wouldn’t see the crown of my head. For the most part, it worked! No one knew I was going bald unless they got very close to me. That's when I would hear, “Bro! You’re going bald, wow!”
This was the worst sentence I could possibly hear. I tried to come up with a good excuse, but I couldn't find one. Considering I was in my twenties, I couldn’t blame it on old age. I even thought about shaving my head and saying that it was in support of Cancer Awareness, but I never followed through.
As terrible as this sounds, I’m willing to bet that your relationship with Jesus is similar to my relationship with my hair. Oftentimes in Christianity, we use going to church as a “comb-over” to cover up our lack of a real relationship with God. See, comb-overs are nice, as long as you don’t do anything stress-related. Whether it be running, jumping, or even riding in a convertible with the top down — all of these things will expose you.
Most Christian's "bald spots" are exposed during extreme circumstances. For example, during COVID-19, everyone forgot about the healing power of Jesus that they sing about week to week, and quickly rushed to put on masks. There was no difference between Halloween and the Sunday service with the amount of masks worn in the church. But wait… don’t we believe that Jesus is a healer?
"They profess to know God [to recognize and be acquainted with Him], but by their actions they deny and disown Him. They are detestable and disobedient and worthless for good work of any kind." - Titus 1:16 AMP
A majority of Christians believe that God provides, but can still be found desperately looking to make a quick dime. Isn’t it interesting that we say that we believe in God and His provision, but the majority of our time is spent searching and longing for money, just like the atheists next door?
"Therefore do not worry or be anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted), saying, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or ‘What are we going to drink?’ or ‘What are we going to wear?’ For the [pagan] Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; [but do not worry,] for your heavenly Father knows that you need them." - Matthew 6:31-32 AMP
(I know that these truths are uncomfortable, but as I’ve personally experienced, it’s better to go bald than to try and cover up each spot.)
We say we believe in Jesus, but where is His joy, peace, and love in our lives? Ask yourself — where is your peace in the time of crisis? If you find yourself acting just like your atheist neighbor, it’s because you don’t actually know God, either.
"Now the practices of the sinful nature are clearly evident: they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), idolatry, sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites. If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit]." - Galatians 5:19-25 AMP
We can continue to lie to ourselves and not face the truth, but where has that got us? At what point are we going to stop trying to cover up "bald spots" and be honest with ourselves and say, “I don’t have a relationship with God”?
Question of the day: Do you think it’s better for the world to see you bald, or to go to hell and have your hair burned off anyway?
"But as for the cowards and unbelieving and abominable [who are devoid of character and personal integrity and practice or tolerate immorality], and murderers, and sorcerers [with intoxicating drugs], and idolaters and occultists [who practice and teach false religions], and all the liars [who knowingly deceive and twist truth], their part will be in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” - Revelation 21:8 AMP