“So here’s what I want you to do . . .” Yeah, I sat for a few minutes during quiet time this morning, listening to the counsel of Paul.
He went on: “God helping you: Take your everyday ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-church, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God . . . (‘Kayfine. He actually wrote, “going-to-work”, but since this is Sunday—yeah.)
Keep up.
Paul continues: “Let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.”
“Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it… be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. . . . Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.” (Romans 12 & 13, selected Scriptures, The Message).
A good heading is supposed to hook you into reading on. So, what does backshaving have to do with Paul of Tarsus? Culturally speaking, he likely wore a full beard, though I’ve no proof either way.
Don’t get stuck back in 60 AD, though. His counsel is as fresh as your scrolling through email and Facebook just now.
“Got it. So, you gonna ‘splain the backshaving deal or what?”
Men who don’t often shave don’t backshave, either. No need. Guys who choose to go smooth-shaven, though, understand: if you don’t backshave, you may as well not shave at all.
Backshaving is reversing your razor and pulling against the direction of hair growth. Girls, you can put your hands down; if you’ve ever murderized your legs, you know exactly what backshaving’s all about – and it ain’t for wimps.
“Okay, we got it. Backshaving is the second effort to be clean-shaven. So—“
So shaving makes you look good. Backshaving makes you feel good. We’re talking a suh-MOOOOOOTH customer.
“Yeah-yeah. But—“
Patience, grasshopper.
With that difference in mind, go back and reread what Paul’s saying in Romans 12 and 13. I’ll wait . . .
There it is. Backshaving of the spirit. Not just looking good, but constantly making the second effort to feel, to BE good.
Okay. It’s getting on toward worship time, so I’ll leave this with you.
Thanks for dropping by and sharing some jav—OH! You might want to keep a, ah, styptic pencil handy.
© D. Dean Boone, September 2020