Hello!
Welcome back to the Dorie's Stories {devotional} Blog!!!
I didn't know that "hair salesman" was a career option until recently. I bet you didn't think you would be reading about this job choice today. Well, you are.
How does hair salesmanship relate to the Bible? You are about to find out in a brand new, just released devotional story right here, right now.
From a future chapter from my currently unnamed next book . . .
Chapter ?: Rico, the Talented Hair Salesman
So, it’s true. I might have bought hair extensions from a mall kiosk.
“If they sit in the chair, they will buy hair.” I would believe it if you told me this phrase was in the mall kiosk hair extension salesperson training manual.
That was my mistake: I sat in the chair.
It's surprising, but I'm actually not an impulse buyer. In fact, I have an elaborate ritual of online-searching, video-watching, price-matching, and promo-code-finding that goes into every purchase.
I then read 400 reviews, using my detective skills and training to decipher if each review is actually legitimate or if they might have an ulterior motive. If an item passes all the tests, I still sometimes don't buy it.
This day at the mall...I made a wild exception.
I don't even know how it happened exactly.
I remember being at the mall.
I remember seeing the various kiosks.
I remember keeping my head down as I passed them by... as per my usual.
The next thing I remember is saying:
"I don't want to sit in the chair. I just want to know -- how much is the hair?"
Then, I sat down.
I sat in the swivel chair stool in front of a mirror with lights around it like in a movie star dressing room. I glanced at the salesperson's name tag: Rico.
He went to work with hair samples and colors, highlighting his hair brand's special features.
Real human hair.
This is a plus, I guess, in the hair extension and wig industry. At the moment, it did seem like a perk. Later, though, it sounded like I was wearing hair from the heads of a whole community of women...and that didn't sound as desirable.
Rico really was a genius of sorts and should have been earning commissions on higher ticketed items than hair extensions, like houses or space shuttles.
Moments later, I remember surrendering my credit card, making the equivalent of a car payment, and then walking around the mall with a box of someone else’s hair.
The rest is a blur.
I had to tell my husband what happened -- and why I suddenly had mermaid-length hair. Then, I had to wear it out of the house and act like it was a great investment.
My daughters didn't agree.
They nicknamed me: "Texas Barbie."
And sometimes, "Mufasa" or "Tapanga."
This hair may or may not be residing in one of my dresser drawers at this point.
So, there might not be a lot of hair stories in the Bible. Maybe everyone in Bible days had long flowing hair and no need for hair extensions?
One story comes to mind, though. Well, more if you count Samson or if you include camel hair.
Mary, the sister of Lazarus, loved Jesus and had sat at his feet in her own home listening to him teaching. She was scolded by her sister for not helping in the kitchen instead.
I can relate. I don’t like kitchen duties either.
Later, she was an eye witness to one of the most incredible miracles of the New Testament. She had a front row seat watching her own brother, Lazarus, come walking out of his grave after being dead for four days.
She had probably helped prepare her brother for burial just days beforehand.
And then, he walked out when Jesus called his name.
Time had passed and Jesus came back to her home in Bethany for a special dinner. What Mary did next was unexpected.
With her sister Martha in the kitchen preparing dinner again and her very-much-alive brother Lazarus sitting at the table, she brought out a jar of extremely expensive perfume. It was described as being “worth a year’s wages.”
She poured it out on the feet of Jesus and then wiped them with her hair. I have always thought of this as just a kind, extravagant gesture of her love and also possibly that she should have brought towels.
But I just recently noticed the words of Jesus after Judas had condemned her for wasting the valuable asset.
“Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial.”
John 12:7 NLT
Mary did not just want to show her love for Jesus in an act of kindness and sacrifice, she wanted to show that she believed.
She believed Jesus when He told His followers that He would be killed. And she believed that He would rise again, just like the miracle He had already done for her brother.
She prepared Jesus for burial just like she had prepared Lazarus, this time with faith for the miracle of resurrection. She had seen it before. She knew the story wasn’t over.
The very next day, Jesus entered Jerusalem knowing He was going there to give His life and then would rise again for all of us. Her act of faith had started "passion week" leading up to the cross. Mary had foreshadowed his death, but she also had the faith to know He wouldn’t stay in the grave.
I don’t think we will ever need to apply this method of faith literally. If we did, I would definitely need my hair extensions and would really only have some warm vanilla sugar body splash on hand.
But I think we can all learn to apply this kind of faith in our own lives...with or without hair extensions.
Reflect & Journal:
Are there areas of your life where you need to apply faith? I know I have seen God’s provision time and time again, but sometimes when I’m faced with a new provision challenge, I don’t recognize the miracles God has already done. Where have you seen God’s hand in one area and can apply your faith to a new issue?
Draw a picture of some feet, long hair, and a fancy perfume bottle if it helps.
. . .
I hope you enjoyed the devotional excerpt! Feel free to share it with someone you think would enjoy a devotional story involving applying faith (with or without hair extensions).
Here’s the link to share:
With hope & joy, Dorie Mclemore
P.s. next time, I’m planning to post another devotional story excerpt from my book, Hope Looks Good on You! A Comedian's Joy-inducing Daily Devotional for Women. Make sure you are subscribed at the link above to get the notification in your inbox!
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