Following the untimely death of Matthew Hill from cancer in 2007 the Hill family established what has now become known as No-Shave November. This organization seeks to raise funds and awareness for cancer by encouraging men to refrain from shaving during the month of November. To date the organization has raised millions of dollars to help fight cancer. The organization states that their goal:
"is to grow awareness by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose, and letting it grow wild and free.”
No-Shave November is not the only organization to encourage men to put down the razor to help raise awareness for charity. Movember a similar and even earlier organization encourages men to begin November clean shaven and then to grow a mustache to raise awareness for various charities.
Both organizations have created a fun, community oriented approach to raising money for charities by telling men to put down the razor in November. But did you know that these organizations were not the first to encourage men to put down the razor for a good cause. More than three thousand years ago an angel appeared to an Israelite couple telling them that they would have a child. This child was not going to be an ordinary child. He would be a strong leader for his people. And his strength would be symbolized by his growing hair. The angel said:
For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no rasor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. Judges 13:5
This child and son would be called Samson and as a Nazarite who did not shave his hair he strength grew in proportion to his growing locks. Samson strength was miraculous with such feats as killing a lion with his bare hands and carrying a gate weighing possibly in excess of 3,000 pounds more than forty miles.
God wanted Samson to use his strength to lead the Israelites from oppression to the Philistines. And while Samson would go on to bother and batter the Philistines Samson too often gave in to his own passions and interests. Ultimately Samson lost not only his hair but his eyes as well when he gave up the secret of his strength to a duplicitous Delilah.
Today as we spend time in November perhaps we can learn the lesson of Samson and realize that great strength can only come with sacrifice. While we may not all be called to relinquish the razor there will be times that God asks us to let go of things for a season or for the rest of our lives that prevent us from representing God and helping His people.
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