Great hair

A man who aspired to replace the incumbent commander-in-chief once boasted about himself and his running mate that, in comparison to their opponents, “We’ve got better hair.”

In today’s first reading (2 Samuel 18:9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 30-19:3), another man who aspired to replace the incumbent commander-in-chief and who had even better hair is caught and killed by the incumbent’s operatives... because of his hair.

The irony of the strange death of Absalom, the rebellious son of King David, is an interesting lesson about shallow things in which we take pride becoming our downfall.

Vanity can be a stumbling block even for those of us who might not fit our culture’s image of beauty.

And most of us can find ourselves making decisions about other people, based on their physical appearance, their race, their gender, or their fair-sounding words.

May you and I look beyond that which is shallow and superficial, in our personal lives, in our work, and in our political choices.

May we ask the Lord Jesus to open our hearts to the truth that is real, that is deep, and that is eternal.

And may we always live and choose according to that truth.