Growing Hair Back If "God" Told You To

[marshd1000]

I currently attend a Assemblies of God church.  Becky attends the Foursquare church I used to attend.  I do believe in the supernatural.  But I do believe that she was trying to manipulate.  However, I do want to clarify, she did NOT say that God told her that I was to grow my hair back.  But she DID feel that the Bible wants us to honor our parents.  Therefore, since my stepmother does not like my shaved head, Becky thought that maybe I should grow the hair back in order to honor her.  She was implying that I was not acting like a Christian since I did not grow my hair back.  Again, a few years ago when she mentioned this, I did say that IF the Holy Spirit truly told me to grow my hair back, I would.  So last Sunday, she was wondering if I was still open to hearing from the Holy Spirit on this.  But truly, I do feel that it was more pressure by her, disguised in religious terms, to get me to look the way SHE feels I should look!  Again, I even told my stepmother about this.  She also agreed that Becky was being manipulative.  I told my pastor about it and he agreed too!  So the official word is.....Marshall is keeping the shaved head.  To be honest, I had thought of growing it back for a season when I lost a lot more weight.  But I am quite inclined to not even do that, unless Becky moved to Outer Mongolia!!!     

[Tennessee]

Just had to chime in on this one!!!

I attend a "Word of Faith" church, or charismatic if you prefer, and I feel the Lord leads and guides us into all truth and righteousness. He will even lead us to do things we cannot find Bible for (but not against the Bible either). The Lord once led me to give up sweet tea!! Granted I am a bit fat and when I did I dropped 2 pant sizes. Therefore it was to help me. If I were to put my opinion on this I would say if you love God more than being sly he would not have a problem with it, i.e. God is still God. In light of the manipulation I would think God would want you to flaunt it just to point out the manipulation in Becky's heart with the hope that she could see it. God seems to like to point out our faults (just like a father) so we can deal with them!!!

Just a side note Paul was in sin when he shaved his head, but he did it to satisfy the religious people who told him he should. Thus the reason it was sin, he was being a man pleaser! Apollos was also shaved but it was not sin for him.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Just a side note Paul was in sin when he shaved his head, but he did it to satisfy the religious people who told him he should. Thus the reason it was sin, he was being a man pleaser! Apollos was also shaved but it was not sin for him.

Exactly.  When it comes to actions that have no direct impact on others the action can be sinful or not sinful depending upon the heart of the person performing the action.

For example, I could see it considered sinful if Marsh believed his shaved head allowed him to appear sexy to women and would allow him to woo unsuspecting women into relationships where he could exploit them.

I could see it if he shaved his head solely or even partially for the fun of angering someone. 

I could also see it if he was excessively, obnoxiously, vain about his appearance.  So excessive that it caused him to harm those around him (i.e. he has a fight and says "Look at me!  Why did I ever marry someone as ugly as you!" Female sobbing ensues.)

 
But if Marsh shaves his head because he likes it, then it cannot be sinful!

[Sgt. Pate]

You know, I'm really glad God is more concerned with the motives of my heart than the hair, or lack there of, on my head! 

[Gambrinus]

You know, I'm really glad God is more concerned with the motives of my heart than the hair, or lack there of, on my head! 

Well said 

[RyanJP]

I think the least of God's worries would be if you had hair or not, priorities are a pain for a higher power.

[MikeInPdx]

You know, I'm really glad God is more concerned with the motives of my heart than the hair, or lack there of, on my head! 

Another one that agrees!

I"m Presbyterian, and I strongly believe that God speaks to us often through our conscience. Outside sources, I respect, but I listen to my conscience before I listen to friends.

Take care,
Mike

[bubbadave3]

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.  

Bingo!

[bubbadave3]

I found this in my ESV Study Bible and thought it might enlighten some of the verses in 1 Corinthians

1 Cor. 11:4  head covered. The Greek phrase (kata kephalēs) literally means “down from the head” and may refer either to long hair that hangs loose (vv. 14–15), or to a veil that covers the face, or to a piece of cloth pulled over the head (like a modern shawl or scarf) that leaves the face revealed. As background for understanding Paul's point in this verse, Roman men sometimes practiced the custom of pulling the loose folds of their toga over their head as an act of piety in the worship of pagan gods. Paul thus draws on the example of this pagan custom (which everyone in the Corinthian church would have thought absurd) to make the point that men should not dishonor Christ by praying according to pagan custom (8:4). He then uses the idea to prepare the way for his argument that it is equally absurd for wives to pray or prophesy in public with their heads uncovered (11:5, 11).

I happen to be a seminary student at a fairly sound school.  I use the ESV Study Bible all the time, and have found it to be a tremendous help.

[bubbadave3]

WOW.....guys....I appreciate all of the feedback!!!!  Anyway, I have 3 dear sly Christian friends that I have also talked to.  They pretty much agree with you all.  And not because they are sly.  They believe that the issue is NOT the bald head.  They all agreed that it is an excuse to manipulate, that Becky has her own agenda.  Becky basically used my stepmom's illness and dislike of the shaved head to further her own controlling agenda.  Since Becky and I don't attend the same church anymore, I don't see her as much.  But I have decided to confront her on her manipulation.  I am not going to be mean spirited about it.  But too many times, in the past, I have let people run over me  because I thought I was supposed to be "nice".  But I do see that there is a time and place to be nice and try to not hurt someone.  But since I consider her a friend, I do believe that friends need to be truthful.  Sometimes, the truth hurts.  Also I told my stepmom what was going on.  And even though I know she would like me to grow my hair out, she was on my side on this one!  When I do finally talk to Becky about this, I will let you all know what happens!

I'm going to have to go back and re-review this story, but in the OT these kids were insulting a prophet of God who was bald.  As a result, I seem to remember that they were cursed and maybe even destroyed for speaking against a bald prophet of God.  So, that seems like a pretty powerful endorsement in my mind.  Maybe your friend wants to be destroyed by God for speaking out against your bald head.  Oh, I forgot, we're living in a time of grace.

[bubbadave3]

I grew up in Pentecostal and Charismatic churches and heard alot of "words from the Lord for you" type messages. I don't discount all of them but alot of them were more a person manipulating in the name of the Lord.

Bottom line is God does not care if we are bald or not.

I totally agree with you.  As I like to put it, I'm a Christian IN SPITE OF other believers, not BECAUSE OF other believers.

[bubbadave3]

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!

Tell "Becky" that you're making it easier on God by not having as many hairs for Him to count.  Which means that she should shave HER head to make it easier on God as well.

[Pshrynk]

God not bitchy?

Ummmmm....

....how about the overall mythos of the the old testament.  That is one moody, diffident and insecure god.

[InProgress]

That's absurd. I think it's shameful when people propound themselves as prophets of god's will for political purposes or personal gain. Sadly, that happens a lot (even institutionally among some sects...).

[Tyler]

I agree with GASlick and Hammerdrill.  If you have a personal relationship with God (Marsh, I know you do) then God will make it very clear what His will is.  While He will often use others to carry out his message, this does not sound like a time that He did.