The World's Worst Haircut

I've heard it said, "Necessity is the mother of invention." Stated slightly differently, I would argue, "Poverty is the mother of ingenuity." I know this to be true first hand, because during certain seasons of my life, I've lacked the financial resources to even value size a McDonalds menu item. College for most people, myself certainly included, is a time void of financial resources, where monetary sacrifices and creative currency contemplation is demanded, in order to stretch a dollar to the point of tearing.

I worked a handful of part-time jobs during college to try to pay for books, rent, and food. When I started doing the easy math in my head, I realized two hours of hard labor at one of my chosen jobs was not worth getting my hair cut, at least not professionally. Enter my girlfriend, Amber. It is important at this point in my story to share with you that Amber had the same number of hours of formal training in cutting hair that I did, which was zero. Somehow this fact didn't deter my plan in the least to ask Amber to cut my hair for free 99, but it should have.

So, in the interest of saving money, off to Walmart we went. I told myself if I purchased Wahl clippers, it wasn't an ordinary and routine buy, it was an investment, a gateway into more disposable income. My plan was unfolding perfectly until I looked up and into my dorm room mirror post haircut. I had been standing still in place for a number of minutes before the big reveal, leaning awkwardly over the sink, while the buzz of Amber's master piece took place above me. I was doing the math in my head, as the hair was falling all around my shoulders. I asked myself why I hadn't thought of this sooner. I was congratulating myself with this simple question.

It took my buddy, "Soup," (aptly nicknamed because his last name was Campbell) about 5 minutes of laughing and 30 minutes of shaping and trimming to put me in a position to be seen again in public. The man had to operate like a skilled surgeon. Needless to say, that was my last homemade haircut. That night I realized getting your hair professionally cut is worth every penny.

Through my experience, one would think Amber would have learned a valuable lesson of leaving hair cuts to professionals, but about 12 years after Edward Scissor hands, I mean Amber, had her dorm room barbershop debut, Amber herself was the victim of an attempted haircut savings. We had just moved back home to Knoxville and we were a family of 4 people and 1 income for the first time during our marriage. Cutting expenses (pun intended) was once again a necessity. So off Amber went to Paul Mitchel's School of Beauty to get her hair cut and colored by a student. 

I'll never forget the look on her face when she walked into our living room after her appointment. Her eyes were filled with tears and her hair was oddly colored and very apparently lopsided. I tried to console her with a half hearted lie, "What, babe? I think it looks good." It didn't. It was awful.

The bad haircut experience isn't limited to Amber and me. I'm confident, if pressed, you too could produce a picture or share a story of a bad haircut you were the victim of as well. Perhaps one of the world's worst haircuts was endured by Samson in the Old Testament book of Judges. Samson was a man with God given unmatched strength and power. In that way, he was unlike other men and women, but like the rest of us, from time to time Samson made mistakes, lacked a perfect will, and was susceptible to temptation. Most importantly Samson made a vow to God not to allow his hair to be cut. Samson broke that vow.

When Samson was questioned by his lover, Delilah, about where he obtained his strength and power, he attempted to mislead her with answers initially, but finally admitted that if his hair was cut, he would lose his strength. So, after receiving a bribe for doing so, Delilah told Samson's enemies about the source of his power and his vow. They cut his hair.  You've probably heard the reference to this tragic haircut and romance in the well known song, "Hallelujah."

The story didn't end there. Samson was then captured, blinded in both eyes, and enslaved by his enemies. His "power" had left him. However, when Samson asked God to again give him his strength, God answered his prayer giving him strength once again, and Samson killed his captures and obtained his revenge. Unfortunately Samson killed himself in the process, but God had kept his vow to Samson, despite Samson breaking his vow to God.

Just as we have vowed certain things to God, we have no doubt broken certain vows as well. However, God's promises and commitment to us is unending and perfect despite our imperfections and shortcomings. So when you are being attacked by an enemy, or by "the enemy" and you are without strength and power, seek God's help.

There's nothing too big for God, not even the world's worst haircut.
Much Love, Adam