#YearoftheBeard14
I am in the 29th week of 2014.
Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” So God created human beings[d] in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”
-Genesis 1
Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.
-Genesis 2
So Hanun seized David’s ambassadors and shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame.When David heard what had happened, he sent messengers to tell the men, “Stay at Jericho until your beards grow out, and then come back.” For they felt deep shame because of their appearance.
-2 Samuel 10
You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.
-Judges 13
Do not trim off the hair on your temples or trim your beards.
-Leviticus 19
The priests must not shave their heads or trim their beards or cut their bodies. They must be set apart as holy to their God and must never bring shame on the name of God. They must be holy, for they are the ones who present the special gifts to the Lord, gifts of food for their God.
-Leviticus 21
I have been growing a lot as I've grown this beard. Now being a little over halfway down with the year I begin reflecting.
As my beard and hair continue to grow I find myself receiving comments about how I look like Jesus, or Noah, or other biblical persons. I often respond by saying Jesus isn't white or Jesus doesn't have blonde hair.
But the beard was never for others. Growing it out wasn't to show others.
This year, this beard has been an experience with God.
Who do You say that I am?
Who is Adam?
What would I look like if I let go?
Jesus always teaches to give up and die. What would it look like in this simple sense of grooming?
I think the beard has been many things for me.
I've grown it to grow closer to God.
I've grown it to see how people treat me if I don't look as culturally handsome as I could.
I've grown it in solidarity with my homeless friends. I want to sit beside them during meals and the lines between money, addictions, pain, loneliness, and sin disappear. I don't want to stand on the opposite side of the counter scooping handouts to them. I want to stand beside them receiving along with my brothers and sisters. I want volunteers to greet me gently as if I am one of "those people" I want to blur the line between serving and served.
We are all sinners.
We are all saints.
It isn't by our bank accounts or our "security" that we are made clean. It isn't by our clean shirt or smooth chin that we are made clean. It is by Jesus and Jesus alone. A man who is not white and who had a very large beard.
I often look at my face in the mirror and I think back to Genesis. I think back to the beginning. The creation. The garden.
I think about Adam.
God created man and man can grow a beard. Not women. Not children. Men. What a strange thing to think about.
I look at myself in the mirror and I see a man created in the image of God. I see what I would look like if I were a Nazirite. I see what I would look like as a gentile who is among God's chosen people.
The painting of Adam show him shaved and clean but I doubt the first man looked so well kept.
The Torah commands men not to shave their beards.
As I grow mine I think of David his long beard as he ruled God's people.
I think of Sampson as he pulled the pillars down.
Noah
Moses
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Hosea
Elisha
...Adam
...Jesus
Why only men? Why hair out of our faces?
We live in a culture where we try so hard not to seem mortal. Not to be an animal. But while all of humanity is trying to escape these bodies trying to cheat death trying to deny limitations deny we are connected to this world and it's animals, as humans run towards the spiritual God run towards the human. Jesus chose to be mortal, Jesus chose to die, while we choose to hide death.
I am told I look like a wild man.
I am told I look like castaway.
What people are saying is I am losing my humanity. The lines between animal and man are blurring and it isn't good.
But I disagree and I believe God does as well.
I believe the native people of this country had more wisdom than the scientists of today. I believe the native people 500 years ago knew more about life, love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control than all the psychologists of today.
One glance at those people and the "civilized" labeled them "savages" but I believe the plank was very large in their eye.
Here I am God. You ask me to give up. You ask me to die. You ask me to let go. This is me letting go of my appearance. This is me letting go of my mortal denial.
I am a human. I am dust. I will die.
This year, this beard halfway complete is a reminder that I and this planet are connected.
We need to work together. We need to communicate. I need to receive what it gives and not simply take what I want. I need the fruit of the Great Spirit like the natives of this land once had.
Who do You say that I am?
Chvrches - The Mother We Share