Cowlicks

Since I was a little girl, I have strongly disliked my cowlicks. I could not wear bangs in the same way as my other little girl friends. Mine would not laydown straight. Instead, they would swirl up off my forehead. I remember my mom trying to fix my hair as a child and struggling with them. She never really explained what a cowlick was. So, in my imagination, I went many years thinking that “Buttercup”, my grandparent’s cow, licked my forehead when I was a baby.

I still dislike my cowlicks, but I’ve learned how to manage them for the most part. My hair seems to be a daily challenge. Thankfully, over the years, I’ve become less self-conscious about my hairstyle, but it’s still an important part of my daily routine. As women, our hair matters. We can spend a lot of money on our hair. Our hairstyles take priority for a lot of us. Some cultures show the significance of a woman’s hair by keeping it covered. In the Bible we see that God states the importance women place on their hair. (1 Peter 3:3) In 1 Corinthians 11:15, we learn that the glory of the woman is her hair.

We read of a woman in Luke 7:37-50, whom Bible scholars say was a prostitute. Her livelihood was from selling herself, her appearance was her measure of value. Yet we can see in this text that she was a woman broken by her sin which was ever before her. The Bible does not tell us how well she knew Jesus, but we can see here that she knew He was worthy of her worship. The woman approached Him in great humility. Her understanding of Christ’s deity may have been limited, but she did know that she was not worthy to come before Him. In her shame, the woman approached Jesus from behind. The onlookers did not even faze her in her desperation to reach Him.

We can see this desperation as the broken woman bowed at the feet of Jesus weeping. Her flowing tears fell upon His feet, as she wiped His feet clean with her hair. The Bible says that she even kissed His feet in adoration and then poured her expensive fragrance upon them. What a tender moment of worship this must have been. This wanton woman, who measured her value by her appearance and her promiscuous livelihood, forsook herself. She abandoned her earthly wealth and beauty. In contrition and sorrow of her ugly lifestyle, she found the place where true beauty lies, at the feet of Jesus.

The woman in this story revealed her brokenness as she surrendered her glory (her hair) to Jesus. The magnitude of her actions in this act of worship is a wonderful picture of what it means to “glory in the cross”. She bowed her glory to the King of Glory. (Psalm 24:9-10)

Galatians 6:14 “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”

This woman who sinned much, also loved much. Her glory was placed at the feet of her Savior. She had found true value in her surrender. Jesus forgave this woman of much sin. Not long after this moment, the sin of this woman was nailed to the cross of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21, Colossians 2:13-14, 1 Peter 2:24)

The prideful Pharisee looked upon this woman in disgust and was appalled that Jesus would allow her to touch Him. His self-righteousness had blinded his ability to see her selfless act. The Pharisee’s response should remind us how pride can raise up in any of us. This usually happens when we fail to see the glory of the cross. We are led away by our own self-centered thoughts. (James 1:13-15) The cross of Christ is the place where the most selfless act of all eternity was performed. (Philippians 2:8) We have no glory but in the cross of Christ. If we humble ourselves before God, He will lift us. (Matthew 23:12, James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:5-7)

The woman knew that she was unworthy to touch Jesus, but she also knew that He was her only hope. The glory which she was holding onto in her life, was a fleeting despair. Her focus shifted from herself and her glory, to Christ. Though surrounded by a group of people, in those sacred moments of submission, it was just her and Jesus. (Psalm 51:3-4, Proverbs 31:30, Romans 6:23)

“There is no greater state than to get up from your knees knowing that God has forgiven every sin you’ve ever committed.” ~ R.C. Sproul

What we see happening in this story certainly brings the right perspective to priorities. Nothing mattered more to this woman than to be at peace with her Maker.

Is this truth, true for you? Things in our lives that we consider important, or that we hold as valuable, have no value when compared to Christ. Jesus is everything! All things are from Him, and all things are for Him. (Colossians 1:15-18)

Our Creator, the Giver of life, died for our sins on the cross. The Bible says that we all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. (Romans 3:23) Only the Lamb of God is worthy to receive glory. (Revelation 5:12-13) This means the ground is level at the cross. The only difference between the Pharisee and the woman in this story is that the woman recognized her need and acted upon it. Whereas the Pharisee was blinded by pride and was unable to see beyond himself.

When I think about this woman and her paramount priority shift, I’m embarrassed to admit that I still don’t like my cowlicks. Yet, I praise God that He is still working on me. I’m being sanctified. (John 17:17, Philippians 1:6, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, 2 Timothy 2:19-21, Hebrews 10:14) One day I will receive a crown, and this crown will cover all my cowlicks. (1 Corinthians 9:24-25, 2 Timothy 4:7-8, James 1:12, 1 Peter 5:4, Revelation 2:10) Selfishness and sin will be no more. The greatest aspect about the Lord placing a crown upon my head, will not be about receiving the crown. It will be that I can lay my crown at the feet of my glorious Savior. (Revelation 4:10-11)