Growing Hair Back If "God" Told You To

[marshd1000]

I have a female friend, who I will call "Becky".  Becky has been a friend I have known for 20 years.  We used to attend the same church.  I am NOT in a romantic  relationship with her.  She has a heart of gold but is opinionated and way too controlling for my taste.  So marriage to her is out of the question! I care for her much like a sister.

Anyway, Becky has never liked the fact that I shave my head.  I explained to her all the reasons I shave it and the fact that I like it.  She also knows that my elderly stepmother does not like the shaved head either.  So a few years ago, Becky called me out of the blue to tell me she felt "God" was wanting me to grow my hair back to honor my stepmother  because I don't know how much time I will have left with her.  

In the Bible it does say that we are to honor our parents.  That much is true.  But I do believe that it is taking it out of context to say that if our parents don't like us to wear a blue shirt that I can't wear a blue shirt.  I  believe that to honor my parents means I am to have a respectful attitude towards them.  So when Becky mentioned that I should honor my stepmom by growning my hair back, I replied that I know what God's voice sounds like and that if He really wanted me to grow the hair back....that I would.  But I have not heard God telling me that

Many of you here on SBG know that my stepmom is 92 and has had a health crisis lately.  Becky likes my stepmom a lot.  So on my way to church this morning, Becky started to harp on me again about growing my hair back as  God could  be ready to take my stepmom, "home".  I reinterated that if "God" told me to grow my hair back, that I would listen to Him.  But she does not need to remind me of that again.  I actually was ready to hang up if she persisted.  I can't stand controlling!!!!!  When I did reinterate, it did get her off my back....at least for awhile.

So I am wondering if any of you have ever encountered this kind of pressure to grow the hair back especially from one person?

Also, I do realize that not everybody here is a Christian like I am.  But would you grow your hair back if "God" told you to?

While I really like the bald look, if I truly knew it was God telling me to grow it back, I would.  I care more about my relationship with God than being sly.  I have been a Christian since 1976, so I feel that I can hear God's voice without being harped at!

[tomgallagher]

I think that God has more important things to worry about than your hair mate.

[Razor X]

I think she's manipulating you to get you to do what she wants, not what God wants.  If God wants you to grow your hair back, he'll make his wishes known to you on no uncertain terms.  He knows where to find you.

I also think that she's exploiting your stepmom's illness to emotionally blackmail you, which is not such a nice thing to do.  

[marshd1000]

I think she's manipulating you to get you to do what she wants, not what God wants.  If God wants you to grow your hair back, he'll make his wishes known to you on no uncertain terms.  He knows where to find you.

I also think that she's exploiting your stepmom's illness to emotionally blackmail you, which is not such a nice thing to do.  

See, that is exactly why I have never been romantically involved with her!

[Mikekoz13]

I think you know the answer to your question for true Believers....

Also.... I'd tell "Becky" to mind her own business............

[Magoo]

All the above MARSH ,I especially agree with Tom G.

[Rob]

I would have thought God liked you just the way you are.   

[buddha]

No question. If God appeared before me and told me that he wanted me to grow my hair back I would start immediately. If an acquaintence told me that God came to her and told her to tell me to grow my hair back I would tell her that the next time she talked to God to tell him to come and talk to me.

P. S.: The following is not intended as disrespect for your stepmom. I work in the health care field doing patient care. Most of the people I work with are elderly. From my experience, if a person is 92 years old, every day that they wake up carries with it the distinct possibility of a health crisis.
For this woman to use this against you to try to bend you to her will is disturbing. I think that the best thing I could think of to do with regard to someone like her is create distance. A lot of distance. This is NOT a characteristic of a person with "a heart of gold"! This is a characteristic of a sick mind. Demand that she get some therapy before she talks to you (or your stepmom) again.

[ChallengeMe]

Marsh:

A: Everything God is going to tell us is already in scripture. Many things are black and white in His Word, other things are in gray areas. Which leads to....

B: 1 Corinthians 8:9 "But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak." If shaving your head keeps someone from coming to Christ, you need to change your hair style. I am sure there are many other things your step mother objects to in her life and a shaved head is probably near the bottom of the list. Honoring your parents does not mean anything with this subject; at your age, it means to take care of your parents.

I have a sister like your friend. We were very close when younger. But she is very opinionated, and if you don't do what she thinks you should, she criticizes and judges you for everything. It hurts, but I try to avoid speaking to her about most things, and bite my tongue.

[D.A.L.U.I.]

My stars, that woman needs help.  You have lost your hair, she's lost her mind.  Plus what ever happened to the line from the Bible, "The word of the Lord is a still, small voice!"  With all her chattering about your head, when was she listening?

[chgobuzzbald]

PLease stop buying into this idea of God as a bitchy, manipulative, moody, demanding creature and one seeking to control our choice of hairstyles !! Thats what humans are, not God. Half of what got into the Bible is from bitchy, demanding, greedy, manipulative people who got it in there to control others !!! Remember A few thousand years ago almost no one went to a school and few could read or write. Hence much of this Bibical material was designed to frighten and control them. Today surely we know better ??

[marshd1000]

PLease stop buying into this idea of God as a bitchy, manipulative, moody, demanding creature and one seeking to control our choice of hairstyles !! Thats what humans are, not God. Half of what got into the Bible is from bitchy, demanding, greedy, manipulative people who got it in there to control others !!! Remember A few thousand years ago almost no one went to a school and few could read or write. Hence much of this Bibical material was designed to frighten and control them. Today surely we know better ??

While I am not going to get into a religious argument here, I do believe in the Bible.  But my interpretation of it is that God is NOT bitchy.  I do believe that my friend can be manipulative etc.  But I do know how to stand my ground!  Plus....BOUNDARIES are a great thing!

[Morthen]

I don't want to sound mean but, god telling you to grow your hair back? really? She sounds like a basket case and I hate people that try to control like that. Now I got nothing against religion, but I highly doubt people growing their hair back for their stepmothers is on the top of gods to do list.

[TheSlyBear]

Just another sad case, I fear, of someone trying to use religion to forward their own agenda.

[GASlick]

I found this thread fascinating! Theologically, there are so many arguments to be made here.  But I'm not going there.

I'm pretty sure God would let YOU, not her, know what He wanted.  Lord knows He's let me know things before!