George Bailey For A Day

Have you ever had one of those George Bailey moments from the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life," where you know you have forever impacted the lives of others? I was thinking tonight I don't know how to answer that question for myself. But on the other hand, without a George Bailey in my life, I could have easily become a combination of a "Violet" or "Mary" in George's scenario of never being born. I would have maybe always been searching for myself and what I wanted and longed for like Violet and ending up all alone like Mary.

I still remember the day. I went in to get my haircut. My hair was long and boring with what she called it, "the butt cut," where the hair is parted straight down the middle. Ha! I was her last client of the day. We had conversation as she transformed my hair but nothing like the, 'whoa, we click.' moment. To this day, I will never know what it was, but as we walked out to our cars together, she said, 'We should hang out sometime!' I was stunned by the words. This 'too cool for skool' chick was asking the most dull person in her salon that day to hang out with her. It was also something I hadn't heard in a very long time.

I was a wilted flower. I had just ended a very long unhealthy relationship and was emotionally burnt out. I lacked any kind of confidence in myself or inner beauty. I was already searching, but not knowing where or how to start my new journey with Christ I had just begun.

After hanging out a few times, she soon started to take me under her wing. No agenda. It wasn't long before she was discipling me simply by teaching life on life. She was an extended hand of the Father to help guide me where He was leading.

She set my feet firm at the start line and pushed me forward to follow the Lord. I went running! I learned how to truly desire the Lord. I gained confidence in my identity in Him. She instilled Biblical womanhood values in me and how to be a good wife before ever meeting my future husband. We became close friends.

Christ alone can only receive all the credit for my life, but He does want us to be an extension of Him. He wants us to be his hands and feet. Serving others in brotherly love.

My life changed simply by going to get my haircut with a hairdresser who knew His heart.

So what does this mean for me?
It means I need to be open. I need to be in connection and in fellowship with the Father.

When I'm out at the grocery store, the line in Starbucks, or at the park with my kids, I don't need to be so self focused that I forget to interact with the people around me. Encouraging those I come in contact with or being something they need just that moment. What does that look like?

Sure, I may not be gaining a Timothy (Paul discipled Timothy before sending him out to do the same) with each encounter, but I can leave behind seeds of love. I can be a George Bailey in someone's day. Or even maybe a lifetime and generations to follow.

God transformed my life and hair with just one cut!