How do you wear a bobby pin?

Did you know that there are two ways to wear a bobby pin? “There is only one way,” you impulsively declare. No, there are two. The right way and the wrong way. “Okay, I can agree with you on that. For every way to do something right, there is a way to do something wrong,” you counter. Don’t get smart with me. For the last several years I have worn a bobby pin the wrong way, thinking it was the right way. You should be more considerate. (Okay, I will stop with the imaginary conversation).

A story must be shared to properly explain how I fell so far away from knowing right from wrong, in relation to bobby pins…that is what we are talking about, right?

Once upon a time, before the Internet was commonly used, when pigtails and hula hoops ruled, there was a girl. Though the girl did not live in a stone castle with a balcony, she believed herself to be a princess. She had five maids at beckon call and a real live dress-up dog.

Each day the princess, I mean girl, was dressed by the wise queen, I mean her mom. Fortunately the queen knew the right way to place a bobby pin in her daughter’s hair. In fact, the queen was so wise she ensured to comb and style her daughter’s hair so that the daughter would deeply desire to comb and style her own hair. The wise mother knew that each burn from the curling iron and tug from the comb encouraged her daughter to break free. You see, the queen did not mind combing and styling her daughter’s hair, but hoped for her daughter to grow up and take responsibility of her beauty, especially if she was to marry a prince one day.

Upon her seventh birthday, the girl was free to dress herself. For 20ish years the girl continued to dress herself. She had mediocre skills and eventually attracted the heart of a prince, whom she later married.

More about the girl: On the inside was a woman that Glamour would rave about. However, feeble hands and an uncanny naivety of fashion kept Mrs. Prim and Proper inside. Stacy and Clinton from What Not to Wear would surely be challenged by this broad. She desired to have class, yet longed for comfort. Yes, it is unfortunate description.

One day the girl sought the advice from a wise Counselor. She was in a deep dilemma. She was frustrated that her Glamour girl could not be aroused. She had tried curlers, wasted mascara, and toyed with bangs. She asked the Counselor, “How can I get the Glamour girl inside me to show herself?” The Counselor looked at her, deeply concerned. He understood her question and loved her. The girl did not know that her beauty was the comfort extended to others that draws strangers to smile, not the lipstick applied to enhance her smile. As I said, she sought comfort, yet it was not comfort for herself. She desired to be a comforter.

You probably assumed that the mother wanted the daughter to break free in order to have more time to eat bon-bons. Remember the mother was wise, which means she had knowledge and understanding above the ways of the world. She prepared her daughter to crave a beauty greater than one only describable by physical measures. You probably assumed that the daughter was able to comb her hair at age seven, and that is why her mother released her. However, it was at age seven when the daughter believed in Jesus Christ, and received the Holy Spirit. The mother knew that the Holy Spirit would take the responsibility of instructing her daughter, therefore she released her. Also, it is important to know, that to the wise mother, beauty was this, to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with the Lord.

Did you know that our understanding is fallible? That is probably why I did not know the right way to wear a bobby pin! That is also why I struggle with beauty. One day I want beauty the worlds’ way, the next I need it God’s way. Every right way, according to the world, is a wrong way according to God. We must be transformed by the Lord. He is loving and helps us to stay on his path. Just as the mother burned and tugged at the girls hair, which grew a desire for the girl to break free, so does God refine our hearts and tug at our desires, to keep Christ at the center of our heart.