When Jesus Shaved His Head

By David A. Sargent       Mike Benson reports: "Nine-year-old Kamryn Renfroe was recently kicked out of her Colorado elementary school. She was told she couldn't come back to class — at least until she either put on a wig, or her hair grew back. Kamryn had shaved her head, and so the administration disciplined her.     It was an obvious dress code infraction. She had blatantly broken the rules of Caprock Academy. The school's dress code requires uniformity and that all students adorn themselves in a non-distracting fashion. And what could be more distracting than a bald-headed little girl in class?” This little bald-headed girl had a friend who had lost the hair on her head due to chemotherapy treatments.     Benson continues: "You see, Kamryn didn't shave her head to create a scene or contravene the rules. Hers was not an act of violation, but compassion. She shaved her head to become like her friend, Delaney.     Eleven-year-old Delaney Clements suffers from neuroblastoma — a deadly form of childhood cancer. Kamryn saw that her friend had [a] bald head…, so she decided to support and encourage her lonely, hurting friend by essentially becoming just like her.     Delaney loved it! She said, ‘It made me feel very special and that I'm not alone.’"     What a beautiful expression of friendship! It points to Someone who gave an even greater expression of love and friendship for you and for me… Benson explains: "Man suffered from the deadly form of "soul cancer" (i.e., sin) with no hope of survival (Romans 3:10, 23). And instead of just watching him suffer in silence, Jesus ‘shaved his head’ metaphorically speaking, by taking on flesh and manifesting Himself in human form. He became one of us. He identified himself with us." *   "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..." (John 1:14a). "God was manifested in the flesh" (1 Timothy 3:16a). "Jesus Christ has come in the flesh" (1 John 4:2b).   "Therefore, in ALL things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people" (Hebrews 2:17). Jesus was the "propitiation" for the sins of man in that He paid the price for man’s redemption by dying on the cross for our sins (Ephesians 1:7).   "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends" (John 15:13). Jesus gave His life for you and for me. His desire is that we accept His offer of salvation and eternal life that has been made available through His loving sacrifice.   Jesus will save those who place their faith and trust in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized   (immersed) into Him for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). His blood will continue to wash away the sins of those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7).     Thankfully, Caprock Academy’s school board took up the matter and voted 3-1 in favor of letting Kamryn return to the public charter school in Grand Junction, CO.     Jesus also desires that each of us will CHOOSE to accept His offer of salvation and life by submitting to His will (cf. John 15:13-14).     Won’t YOU?

- David A. Sargent, minister for the Church of Christ at Creekwood in Mobile, Alabama, is also the editor of an electronic devotional entitled "Living Water." To learn more about this excellent resource contact David via their website: http://www.creekwoodcc.org   * "When Jesus Shaved His Head" by Mike Benson in Forthright Magazine (4/4/14) -- http://forthright.net/2014/04/04/when-jesus-shaved-his-head/