You're going to put that clippie WHERE?!

I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it
on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. —Philippians 1:6

I’ve never met a hair and makeup artist I didn’t like. Although I can’t say I’ve often been under the care of one, I can say these people are amazing! How they can take someone’s whole head and then make it look flawless is a gift I wish I had.

But to put your appearance in their hands can be a leap of faith, one that, for me, had always been rewarded. But yesterday, I was helping out with a video project, and as I settled into the hair and makeup artist’s chair and spied the big plastic bag of hair gadgets, I grew a little afraid. I’m pretty sure most of them had been in that bag since the 90s. (There were some giant claw clips in there, and I might have even seen a banana clip.) Although I will say she tried for awhile with one of those new EZ Combs(TM) but was unsuccessful.

When the producer came out to tell me they were waiting on me, I thought that would hurry her along.So I’m thinking, OK, let’s just leave the hair down and get on with it. We’re running behind schedule. Oh, but no. She proceeded to try to get my hair halfway up (which was how I’d worn it that day, by the way), but left out huge chunks of hair which hung in my face. At this point, I’m getting a little concerned. The crew is waiting on us, and I’m feeling ugly, and well, you know how that goes.

So then she decides, after insulting my use of bobby pins to keep back a piece of hair, to leave all my hair down and stick two clear clippies, one right on top of the other, on the side of my face above my right ear to hold back a chin-length layer of hair. Not exactly a style you see every day.

I left her chair, got on set, and promptly removed the clippies and tucked the hair behind my ear, lest she happen on set and see the layer swinging free. I’m sure that’s a big no-no—to undo what a stylist has done. But what’s worse than feeling like you look silly? Having it on film as a permanent record, of course.

Yes, I realize those two clippies are pretty trivial and may not have even been seen on camera. But it got me thinking. Entrusting my appearance to someone else is not unlike the process of allowing God to shape me into the woman He wants me to be. I may not think He’s going about it the best or most flattering way, but my hope is that I won’t undo what He has done like I did to the artist’s work yesterday.

And like yielding yourself to a makeup artist, the transformation God is bringing about can be painfully slow. That goes for our girls as well. While it seems we take two steps forward and one step back with them, we’re taking part in their transformation. We have to hope, trust, and pray that the girls we’re influencing and guiding will bound out of the Artist’s chair one day and take all our breath away.

Oh Lord, please give me the grace and humility to accept the things about me that You want to change, even though I may think they’re just fine. Help me to not hinder You in Your task as you transform me (and others!) into the woman You want me to be. (I know it’s a big job You have before You!) And although I’m unsure of the result, may I and the girls you’ve entrusted to me turn out to be beautiful and acceptable to YOU, first and foremost.