Happy Friday!

Rev. 3:20 “Behold I stand at the door and knock…”

On Thursday morning prior to going to the memorial service for my Uncle Rodney, I needed to get my nails done and get a haircut. I was rapidly running out of time and looked for the nearest place to get my haircut so I pulled into a shop on Cooper Street. When I walked into this shop it was attended by a totally African American staff and clientele. There were a great number of men waiting to get their haircut.

One of the barbers asked if he could help me and so I said, “No, thank you, you have a large number of people waiting and I am short on time. Thank you.” I returned to my car and looked up to find a lovely young woman coming out of the shop and asked me if I needed to get my hair cut. I said yes, but the line was really long and I had only a little bit of time. She said, the front side of the shop was the barber shop and the back part was the girl’s area. So I had a choice to make: I could accept her invitation, I could look elsewhere or my hair could remain uncut. I chose to accept the invitation.

I began to think about the spiritual parallels that had occurred on this brief outing. First, I was uncertain that I was in a place that would meet my needs. Next, I tried to leave. Then, someone sought me out and invited me in and meet the need I had been seeking. Last, I opened the door and walked in faith placing my hair in the hands of someone I had never met and surrendered myself into her capable hands.

This brief encounter is much like how scripture tells us that Jesus enters our life. Jesus stands at the door and knocks. We have a choice to make. We can walk away, we can go somewhere else or we can open the door in faith and let Him in. When we let Jesus into our lives He begins to gift us with His grace, love and forgiveness. Not too long after I sat in the stylist’s chair she began to talk about the gifts God gives each of us. At that point, I I knew I had made the right choice. I knew when I accepted Jesus as my Savior I had made the right choice.

Thursday morning, I was the only Anglo person in the shop and yet I was welcomed and treated with kindness and respect and received a wonderful haircut. I did not know what the outcome of this haircut would be, but God cares for us, treats us with kindness and meets our every need when we surrender ourselves in faith to His leading. Bosha, the stylist, had no idea that in our brief encounter she was acting as Christ. She preached Christ in her actions. What a wonderful witness. We could all learn a lesson from this young woman.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes, count your blessings and say your prayers. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.