I sat in
the barber’s
chair a few
weeks ago. I
don’t know
about you, but
I love getting
a haircut. The
place I get my
haircut isn’t
an ordinary
haircut. It is
an experience.
Many of us pay
top dollar for
an experience.
For me, it is
almost like
therapy. The
initial neck
massage before
the shampoo.
The shampoo
and
conditioning
massage.
Another neck
massage. Hair
groomed, cut
intricately,
and cleaned
up. Neck given
shaving cream
and shaved.
Hair blown dry
and feeling
clean and
refreshed. You
are
feeeeeeeeeeeeeling
good!
But
what is even
more amazing
is that I tell
my barber
everything. My
life, my job,
my joy and my
pains.
Politics,
religion—it is
all fair game.
Last week I
told them my
about my uncle
with cancer,
my buying a
new house, and
so much more.
And then I
listen around
in other
chairs and the
same thing is
happening.
Same sharing.
Same soul
bearing.
Now, I know
this doesn’t
happen with
you…or does
it. Why is
this the case?
Then I finally
realized it.
It isn’t
necessarily
just the
person cutting
your hair. Not
just the
soothing
music. Not the
art or décor
in the shop. I
finally
realized what
this
phenomenon was
all about: It
was the touch.
The touch. The
barber touches
us in a
touch-less
world. The
massages,
scissor cuts,
and
shampoos—they
touch us.
Touch does
something
special. It is
healing. It
draws us
closer to
someone else.
It is a
statement that
we’re all in
this together.
Touch. It is
the basic of
life’s
necessities.
And we can’t
live without
it. We have
all heard
stories of
orphanage kids
in third world
countries like
Romania where
children were
put into
mega-cribs
without any
human contact.
Those without
human
touch--died
quickly. Yet,
those taken
out and given
a loving
touch, thrived
and grew
strong. Babies
need touch to
live and
function. The
problem is
that we live
in a world
that is afraid
to touch.
Teachers can’t
hug a child
for fears of
lawsuits.
Touch can be
frightening
for many of
us. It makes
us vulnerable
and
uncomfortable.
When we
touch-- we
risk
ourselves. We
cross the safe
barrier and it
is hard to go
back to
comfort. I
often wonder
why more
people don’t
hold hands. In
Europe,
everyone holds
hands. They
don’t think
twice about
it. I know a
couple in my
home church
that has been
married over
60 years.
Every Sunday
growing up my
sister and I
looked for
them and
watched them
in amazement.
For every
Sunday they do
the
unthinkable in
church…I
know…they hold
hands in
church…into
church….in the
pews…during
hymns…on the
way to the
altar for
communion…and
out the church
and into the
world. Why
were we so
amazed? It was
like they were
outcasts and
weird and
crazy. Like
they had the
plague. Touch
is frightening
to many. There
is a gospel
story about
Jesus touching
a leper. Jesus
puts himself
at great risk.
There were
little or no
cures for
diseases. And
leprosy was
considered the
unclean of all
unclean.
Leviticus 13
and 14 tell us
the Jewish
thought
towards
lepers. Lepers
were unclean.
Lepers were
outcasts.
Lepers were
the
untouchables.
They lived in
the outsides
of cities
alone. Based
on Levitical
law they
couldn’t go 50
paces near
anyone and had
to yell
“Unclean…Unclean”
as they
approached
people. No
doubt they
hadn’t been
touched in
years since
they were
determined
unclean by the
priest and
society. They
might not have
been seen or
been touched
by their wife,
kids, and
extended
family. It was
like they were
already
dead—in their
heart and
soul.
This reminds
me of a youth
group member
Kari 13 years
ago. She came
to my church
where I was a
youth director
for many
years. Kari
was a Junior
in high
school. She
heard about
our youth
group and came
one night. She
would pop in
briefly and
leave. Never
stay long. Or
come close to
anyone. Not
even to shake
a hand. It was
like her
emotions were
dead. She
wouldn’t smile
or express any
emotion, but
for some
reason she
would come
back again and
again, like
she was dying
to jump out of
her
emotion-less
state. A few
months later
it was around
Christmas
time. And the
church was
doing an
advent drama.
I asked Kari
if she would
read a part of
Old Testament
prophecy about
the Christ
child. She
initially said
no. But, for
some crazy
reason, she
finally said
yes a few
minutes later.
It came time
for the advent
drama. And it
was Kari’s
turn to read
the lines. It
was her
moment. And I
expected a
mouse-like
emotionless
reading. No
one saw her up
in the church
balcony as she
read those few
lines. But I
did. I watched
an
emotion-less
child become
filled with
life. She read
those lines
like her life
depended on
it. And maybe
it did. It
gave her
newfound
confidence.
That advent
night she was
changed by
those
prophetic
lines of hope.
Kari told me
her entire
story. Through
her tears and
cries she told
me she was
abused by an
uncle over
time. She and
her sister
both. And how
sick she
always felt.
Like an
outcast.
Alone.
Unclean. Never
to be loved.
She had
depression. A
weight
problem. And
hated much
about herself.
But that
night, as she
read the
prophesy about
this Jesus who
would be born
as the baby
messiah,
something was
born and
brought to
light in her.
For the first
time in her
life she knew
about the love
of Jesus. A
love that she
remembered
“loved
unconditionally
with no
strings
attached.” The
One who loves
and touches
the
untouchable--
or even
un-loveable.
Kari came to
life that
year. Over
time she
served on the
youth group
leadership
team, served
on the church
council,
became a
prominent
member, and
went to a
Lutheran
college to
study youth
ministry after
she graduated.
Today, 13
years later is
accepted to go
to seminary.
She is
continuing to
heal as a
wounded healer
and has been a
youth director
and camp
director for
the past 8
years. She
continues to
touch kids
with the love
of Jesus—over
and over
again. Because
why? She was
touched by
Jesus. And
brought back
to life again.
We all want to
be touched by
Jesus—as
worthless,
undeserving,
and
un-loveable as
we may feel.
And at times
we ask
Jesus—like the
leper…If you
choose – Jesus
- you can make
me clean. And
we hear Jesus
say the
unthinkable:
“I do choose.
Be made
clean!” Like
Kari—the
healing waters
of Jesus’
grace floods
our souls as
we are willing
to be touched
by Jesus.
Jesus doesn’t
care about the
color of skin,
or prejudices,
or judgments
of the world.
Jesus came to
heal the
person. The
heart. The
soul. One
person at a
time. He
didn’t want to
be seen as
some mass
miracle
working freak,
but to touch
and heal the
world-- one
person at a
time. Today,
Jesus comes in
flesh to touch
our human
flesh. He
touches the
untouchable.
Those that are
contaminated
by
sin—considered
unclean—seemingly
dead--and
brings them
all back to
life. That
place that
Jesus took it
as an
outcast—a
criminal—was
on the cross.
Forever.
Who in this
world is the
outcast—the
untouchable?
Who is it that
needs to be
touched by a
person? Look
around you and
your world. Is
it the young
child still
feeling the
sting of
divorce
needing
attention? Is
it the angry
man diagnosed
with cancer
and needing a
hand to hold
him? Is it the
one that isn’t
like us or
looks like us
or behaves
like us-- that
dreams of a
day they are
acknowledged?
When we seem
alone—lost—untouchable—like
the
leper—Jesus
walks with us.
When we are
hurting or
have pain, or
at our wits
end, Jesus
touches us
with hope and
healing. And
today Jesus
touches us
all—in the
bread—in the
wine—in the
music—in the
prayers—in our
hearts—that
needs to be
refreshed and
healed. When
we are truly
touched by
Jesus—we want
to share this
miracle and
touch the
world. Like
the leper who
disobeys Jesus
and blabbers
his healing
experience to
everyone. But,
maybe that is
not a bad
thing. Maybe
we need to not
fear—but to
whole
heartedly
extend
ourselves with
Christ’s
healing touch.
Who is it that
you need to
touch with the
love of Jesus
today? Do not
fear--But be
ready. Who
knows—God
might even use
you in a
barber’s
chair! To the
glory of God!
Amen.
Rev. Brian
Norsman
Fox Point
Lutheran
Church
February 16,
2003
Norsman@foxpointchurch.org
www.foxpointchurch.org.
All rights
reserved.
Reproduced
with
permission of
author
