Hair, Health & Transformation

I've been thinking lately about the effects hair can have on health. Kind of a random topic, I know. But I think there can be a connection. I'll talk more about it next week. But today I wanted to share something I wrote for my other blog last year. I was reminded again today that even more important than good health is inner transformation.

Let me know what you think. =) 

Hair Dye And The God Who Never Changes

The funniest thing happened to me in the grocery store last week. This little white-haired man was ringing up my groceries and looking at me kind of funny. Then he said, "You look too young to have gray hair." 

I was completely surprised. I didn't know what to say. How's a girl to respond to such a comment?

"Thank you for saying I look young," or "thank you so much for pointing out my gray hair"? 

I still can't believe he said that. Not that it isn't an accurate observation. I've had white hairs mixed in with the brown ones since college. Back then, after a little kid made a comment about my gray hair, I decided to dye it. And I probably would have kept dying it if my health hadn't crashed and I learned just how toxic hair dye is for the body. 

So for the last ten years I've had to accept the gray hairs. Many times I've remembered Jesus' words in Matthew 5:36:

And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.

I've often wondered if the original inventor of hair dye was someone who read that verse, and thought, "Oh yeah? We'll see about that." 

Hair dye does affect the appearance of hair color. But in reality it still can't change the hair color. Once the dye wears off, the original color is still there, whether it's white or black (or another color). 

All this got me thinking. How many times do we try to "change" things in our lives by simply altering their appearance or covering up with something else? 

The reality is that we cannot change ourselves. We can learn new things and train ourselves and alter our appearance or behavior.... But we can't truly change who we are. 

There's only One who can change us, the One who never changes - God Himself.

God created me. He knows exactly who I am and who He wants me to be. He knows which aspects of me should never be changed, and which aspects He wants to change. I don't always know which is which. 

Sometimes I try to change the things that shouldn't be changed, while holding onto the things that should be changed. 

Thankfully, because God is perfect and never changes, He is able to perfectly work the best changes in me.

So I'll never be taller and I have gray hair. (I keep asking Him to change the gray hairs back to brown, but I'm still waiting for that miracle.) =) That's the way God made me. But the way I think and my desires are some of the things I believe God wants to change in me.

If I ask Him, I'm sure He'll teach me to see myself more clearly. He loves me too much to let me try to change the unique person He created and too much to let me stay as I am.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. -Psalm 139:14

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. -2 Corinthians 3:18

When I think about it, I'm actually glad that I can't change myself. I'm sure I'd do a poor job of it. But my loving, heavenly Father knows exactly what He's doing. I believe He's making the most beautiful changes in me. I rejoice in that! Even if I do still have gray hairs. =) 

What things about yourself do you think God doesn't want you to try to change? 

What things do you think God wants you to let Him change?