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Should women wear short or long hair to church?


Should women wear short or long hair to church?
What does Bible say about a woman's hair length?

 

Q. Why do some women wear only long hair to church or wear it pinned up and if another women comes in with short hair, they really make them feel uncomfortable? Most churches I attend don't care if some ladies hair is long or short. I would really like to have a Biblical answer on this.

(Submitted by: Sissie)

A. I am just as frustrated as you are in regards to people judging others whether it is their hair, or clothing or even how they behave before they get to know the individual and understand why or who they are. This is not following the teachings of Jesus Christ which tell us to bear with one another and not to judge unless we want to be judged in the same way:

"Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: (Luke 6:36-37)

"With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;" (Ephesians 4:2).

I had short hair when I was younger because it was the easiest for me to take care of since I did not care as much about the latest in styles or making a fashion statement. I am not wired like that. I just wanted my wispy fine straight hair to behave itself when I was out in the public arena whether at work or at play or at church. Now I am retired and have no money to keep my hair in a strict regimen of care at the beauty salon so I wear it long and pin it up into some kind of comfortable style that is neat and out of my face.

It might be my imagination, but since I've let my hair grow I seem to have learned much more than I did in the past when I wore it shorter. It is more likely that I have learned a few things in life and have gained wisdom in the doing. At any rate I would not worry too much about it. Hair is physical isn't it? Paul did say that long hair was a glory to the woman and that her hair should be longer than a man's (1Corinthians 11). It is worn that way to show respect but that could have only been a part of their culture in that age. Isn't it interesting to note how many young men like their women to have long tresses, not understanding the amount of work it takes to keep it that way?

Is it a matter of salvation? Since the function of long hair is to show submission to another, and since in the spiritual sense we are all under the same authority of Jesus the Christ then it follows that all would have the same length of hair doesn't it? In a physical marriage the husband is the head of the wife and her hair is his glory, but the head of the husband is Jesus and his head is never to be covered. There is no marriage in the spiritual realm except a spiritual one between Jesus and his Bride the church so the whole question becomes moot. (Matthew 22:30 ) We are to worship the Godhead in spirit and in truth, obey the law and meet out mercy and justice in a fair and balance way. (John 4:24) This includes treating each other with love as we would like to be treated. (John 15:12) I think God is going to be judging our attitudes more than our hair length.

I have concluded that wearing your hair is a matter of personal choice. If you feel uncomfortable get away from those who make you feel that way or reassess why you do. Try asking them why they treat you differently? In any case our responsibility for those who judge us improperly is to forgive them and move on, unless the issue is severe enough to warrant a personal conversation. (Matthew 18:15-21) In this way one can find out why they look askance at someone who is different. Maybe by your righteous and loving attitude you will show them that God loves us in spite of our nasty ways and in so doing the feelings are soothed and relationships are healed.

Let God lead you in this and in all things pertaining to life. If you feel uncomfortable it might mean you need to look at the deep seated reasons why. If you feel comfortable wearing your hair length anywhere between your ear lobes and your knees then wear it that way in faith and with a clean conscience.

". . . for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin." (Romans 14:23)

We are not however supposed to be imitating the men in our looks or behavior. When a stranger looks down a street he or she should be able to tell the difference between a man and woman but these days that gets difficult at times and that is the results of despising God for making the sexes different in the first place. Women should be proud of how God made them and enjoy their femininity.

Organized church congregations who teach that the law of God is abolished and do not care what God thinks in the first place would not bother about such a trite issue. It is not what policy or doctrine is taught but what God thinks in all things that counts and he just might like his daughters with long lovely tresses.

 
Written by:  Charlotte Grantham
 
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