I experienced the ever-increasing isolation of human beings from one another. I went to get my hair cut at Great Clips ($4.99 coupon!). I often say a short prayer before I get my haircut. The focus of the prayer is not my hair (which is quickly disappearing may I add) but for the person who is cutting my hair. My recent meditations on Scripture references that show the extent of God's love for humanity has reminded me of how much I need to love others in the simple, every day events - like getting a haircut.
I arrived at Great Clips, said my prayer while walking into the parking lot, put my name in to the computer, and then I was called for the CUT. I sat down and the first thing I noticed was a flat-screen TV on the wall. Broadcasting on the TV was "Great Clips TV". It was a visual equivalent to the repeated music at retail stories like Old Navy. I started a small conversation with the person cutting my hair and she seemed somewhat shocked. "Why would this person speak with me when Great Clips TV is on?" She saw the book that I brought with me (Kingdom of God by John Bright) and she asked me why I was reading the book. We had a short conversation because I don't have a lot of hair to cut but it was a conversation nonetheless. I could tell that the person appreciated being treated as a person and not a hair-cutting machine.
My prayer prepared my heart to be open to another person and the circumstances made the interaction even more striking due to Great Clips TV... Thanks to my friend Jon Chiu in Virginia for constantly reminding me to share the love of Christ in practical ways, even in the seat of a hair cutting place.
4 comments:
You indeed are a good man. But the question is, did you show the love of Christ through your tip?
Good call Don. I think that I did. Tipping is a mystery to me. I understand tipping in restaurants but I do not have a tipping 'system' for hair cuts. I had a coupon for my hair cut but I gave a generous tip based on the non-coupon amount (of course). The person was pleasantly surprised by the tip. She may relate the generous tip to the conversation and maybe to the Kingdom of God book but even if she doesn't then at least I shared the love of Christ in a small, practical way in one part of my day that I normally wouldn't.
I heard the rule is to tip $1 per thing they do (i.e. wash, cut, dry, blah blah). It's safer to just throw in a couple more dollars, just for good measure.
How's that Kingdom of God book?
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