Planting Seeds at the Salon

As I made plans to get my haircut with Gloria, at Courtyard Salons, I began praying that God would open an opportunity to talk with her about Jesus and the way of salvation.

She had cut my hair exactly one year ago, and I remembered her to be a talkative woman from Equador holding to the philosophy that the most important things in life include a college education, a good job, and happiness. During our last meeting in her boutique, I don't think she quite knew what to make of me --- a girl who spent her time traveling the country giving Christian retreats for young ladies and studying Bible college courses in her free time. :-)

Arriving at the salon, I was glad to see that Gloria remembered me. She is a great conversationalist, and so we easily began chatting about current life happenings as she lathered my hair in freshly-scented shampoo.

I told her about my new job at Care Net, and she wanted to know how college was going. I also told her about Katelin's upcoming wedding. (She found it hard to believe that my sister and her soon-to-be-husband actually want to live in Ukraine --- a place she deemed as poverty-stricken and difficult!) Then, we talked for awhile about her family and what all of her grown children are doing with their lives.

Somewhere along the way, as I explained once again why I wasn't following the typical path young people take, I remember sharing that when I was 14, I gave my life to Jesus Christ. He became my Master and King at that time and ever since, life has been about doing His will...not mine. Even with this interjection of personal testimony, I didn't sense it was the right time to turn the conversation in an evangelistic direction. As I prayed while she worked, I asked God for an opening if He wanted me to share. And if not, I asked for His Spirit to keep my mouth shut.

As the conversation continued throughout the snips and styling of my hair, she ended up bringing up the topic herself! She asked me if my dad was a preacher. Smiling to myself, I told her no, he is a business man. Then she said, "Then, how did your parents raise you and sister to be this way? What religion are you?"

"I'm a Christian," I replied. "But I don't really view Christianity as a religion. It's actually a relationship with God through His Son Jesus. Do you have a religious background?"

"I was raised Catholic," she said. "But I'm not a practicing Catholic. I'm not really anything. But I don't smoke, drink, do drugs, or anything like that. And I talk to the man upstairs everyday."

"Do you know for sure that you will go to heaven when you die?" I asked.

"No. How can you know that? We'll just find out when we get there."

"A God of love doesn't want you to have to fear dying or have questions about eternity. By then, it's too late to make any choices. We have our lives on earth to make choices that will determine where we spend eternity. And because He wants us to know what to expect, so we can make the right choices, He's given us the Bible. The Bible is His Word, and in it, God tells us how we can for sure where we will spend eternity one way or the other."

I don't know if Gloria had ever heard this reasoning or not, but she seemed to seriously contemplate what I was saying. Then, she went off into this long story about how one of her client's had a church-going husband who was mentally messed up and abused her terribly. I think the point she was getting to was that she didn't understand how someone could be a church-goer like that and then in home life be such a monster.

After her long story was told in completion, I tried to gently steer the conversation back to the topic I really wanted to discuss with her. I shared how the Bible says all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God. "Think about a bunch of people trying to jump and touch the ceiling," I explained. "While some of them will be able to jump higher than others, none of them will be able to touch the ceiling. Some people may have lived better lives than others, but none of us are "good" enough to meet God's standard of goodness which is perfection. As hard as we try to be good, there are still times when we don't live up to even our own moral code of conduct, let alone God's." Then I proceeded to explain sin using the Ten Commandments. I told her that lying, stealing, dishonoring parents, and hating people are just as serious to God as murdering and using drugs. She seemed to follow fairly well.

"Think about it," I told her. "If we could get to heaven by doing good works, Jesus wouldn't have had to die on the cross for us. His death would have been in vain! But it wasn't. Jesus chose to take on the sins of the world, your sins, and mine and be punished for them in our place. The wages of sin is death --- in hell! --- but He provides a rescue plan. He gave His own life blood so we don't have to be separated from God for eternity in a horrible place of torment. Then, He rose from the dead to prove His power over death! And He offers to us the same gift of everlasting life."

I finished up by sharing the rest of my personal testimony of salvation. I don't know how much really sunk in with her, but I was grateful for the opportunity to plan Gospel seeds.

Then, she told me she likes to listen to Joel Osteen on TV on Sunday mornings because all his messages are so positive. (They certainly fit quite nicely with her philosophies of life.) I told her to be aware of the fact that Jesus didn't always preach a feel-good message. He preached messagse on repentance from sin and sacrifice for the cause of obedience. Hmmm...that was new for her.

As I handed Gloria her check for the job well done on my hair, I also passed over to her a Gospel tract in a pretty little holder that someone had made for me out of colored paper. (It contains a detailed description of the 10 Commandments and how we all fall short, as well as the good news of our Savior!) "Here, this is for you to read," I said. "It will tell you how you can know for sure the way to heaven." She took the tract with a smile and indicated that she would read it.

Praise the Lord for opening a door of utterance to speak the Gospel! He is so good. Please join me in praying for Gloria. She needs the Lord, and I pray she will find Him.