“Looks good,” I said, as Viet, my barber, held up the mirror behind my head. It was my standard response after a haircut, but in this case, it wasn’t so much about how I felt about my hairline, my expanding bald spot, or the retreating hair on my neckline. Those were issues beyond his control.
No, my compliment was more about the precision of his scissor and clipper work—skills that, despite the circumstances, were still sharp as ever. So, I nodded, acknowledging his craft with what little hair I had left to work with.
After my confirmation, Viet smiled and said, “I call this my Gentleman’s cut.”
His words hit a little harder than expected. While I understood them literally, my mind couldn’t help but reframe them in a way that felt more blunt—more honest, maybe.
“This is my ‘old guy special’… for you… for men with less to work with… for guys who don’t mind looking a little less sharp, crisp, or contemporary.”
Yeah, definitely the Amplified Version of what he really meant.
Author and communicator Brené Brown often says, “Clear is kind.” And while Viet wasn’t being blunt, he certainly made it clear: I’ve now turned the page into the “Gentleman’s chapter.”
It reminds me of the passage in 1 Samuel 16, where the prophet Samuel anoints the young David. In verse seven, it says something I’ve often shared with younger people: “For the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
The
truth is, though, I tend to isolate that verse for the younger crowd,
forgetting that it applies to those of us who, with a little hesitation, are
holding up four fingers—sheepishly acknowledging that we’re in the final
quarter of our lives.
Whether I admit it or not, I am that guy. I am the “Gentleman”. And with that
“clear is kind” message firmly rooted in both my barber-chair, and my bathroom
mirror, I live into the poignant and compelling words of Hebrews 10…
“Let
us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised
is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good
works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but
encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
(ESV)
There are a lot of things that as a “Gentleman”, I can no longer do. But I can
still hold fast. And yes, I can still “stir up one another to love and good
works”. And I can still “meet together”. And finally, I can encourage others,
by being less self-consumed, and more Kingdom focused…
Because, indeed, the Day is drawing near.
{ 0 comments… add one now }