A Conversation with a Coiffeuse

In the words of Ray Stevens, I needed to get myself a haircut or “a dog tag.” But I was in the U.S. (that’s another story), and my barber didn’t have any openings, so I found the nearest I could find. I’m not good at “small talk,” but I try. 

DJ: You from around here?

Coiffeuse: Yep.

DJ: That’s rare, you don’t meet a lot of folks from around here.

Coiffeuse: No comment

DJ: You have kids?

Coiffeuse: Two.

DJ: Grandkids?

Coiffeuse: No. Animals.

DJ: How long you been cutting hair?

Coiffeuse: Eighteen years

This wasn’t going anywhere, but I still had one more good shot.

DJ: How’d you get into this? Did you always want to do it, or was it just something to do?

Coiffeuse: “ used to, now all I want to do is retire. I’m 48, I’m too old for this.

I felt sorry for this young/old person. She told me most of the people her age were dying. I wanted to tell her everyone is, it’s just when, but I left that out. She was done, spend, checked-out, passionless, worn-out, there-in-presence-but not in heart. 

And I thought about you, about us. All of us who preach and teach the Word of God. Ministry can be taxing, your heart can get stepped on and ground into nothingness, your emotions can be spent, your creativity can be quashed, your faith can be spent, your passion can be drained. And, what you at one time “wanted to do,” can become nothing more than a used up vehicle to get you to retirement. I know that’s no where close to all of us, and even if it’s you, you probably are just visiting, it’s not where your heart lives. But I do want to remind you to visit Revelation 3 and Ephesus, where a once passion filled people had lost it. Christ’s reminder to those who’s wick was ready to be snuffed out can bless you too. 

“remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the [d]deeds you did at first” (Revelation 2:5). Remember the passion, the feeling of honor, the fulfillment, the faith, the heart, the conviction you had when you started. Turn around and go back there (repent). And re-dig those wells. Do what you did when you did so well. And thank God for the grace of knowing His Son and live this good life of ministry again. If your heart is hurting in ministry today, know we are praying for you. Don’t quit! Renew!