Question:
I cut my hair short and use a rinse on my hair to cover up the gray. Is this wrong? I had my children late in life and turned gray early. I don’t like to embarrass my children by looking like their grandmother. Also, it is depressing to me to see so much gray. It is not that anyone sees me because we never go anywhere much, but it’s just when you look in the mirror, it’s depressing. Using a hair rinse is not mentioned in the Bible; I guess, as there was no such thing in those days. But since we are born with dark hair, why is it wrong to try to hang on to the color we were born with? As long as you are not trying to make a show horse of yourself, like some do, going from a redhead to a blonde. It seems to me it would not be wrong to try to keep the color you were born with. I think what you do with your hair is right or wrong depending on the motive behind it. If you honestly only want to appear neat and tidy, with no thought of style in your mind, or trying to attract attention, then why would it be wrong?
It seems that the big things in life are so easy to determine which is right and which is wrong, however with the little things like hairdos it is hard to decide. Any help you can give me will be greatly appreciated.
Answer:
Although certain issues which concern us today are not mentioned in the Bible, the principle behind them often is.
Since we often do not have any direct Biblical command, we must be governed by principle. What principles might allow us to judge what God’s law means in regards to coloring one’s hair?
- It is a practice common among people of the world and we as Christians must not conform to the world (Rom. 12:2).
- That it appeals to “the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,” which is of the world, passing away and forbidden to the Christian (1 John 2:15-17).
- That it is the way “other Gentiles walk” and “vanity” (Eph. 4:17). As Christians we must not “walk” in this way. We are not trying to meet the standards of this world or to attract the world.
Certainly there are cases where the motive behind an action may determine whether it is right or wrong. However, the real and honest motive behind even our own actions is often elusive. It is very, very hard to be totally objective with ourselves.
Notwithstanding, it seems impossible to disassociate hair-coloring from a motive that has something to do with being seen and judged by others. It certainly is not a matter of health or even practical service. For, if we were truly never seen by anyone there would be no issue to here to consider.
Our modern culture has exalted the youthful look to such an extent that it is desired by all ages. Cosmetic companies capitalize upon human vanity, especially that of women, and promote an almost limitless array of products which are designed to help older person appear young and “beautiful.”
The “ideal” of never aging is displayed in almost every shop and seen in almost every catalog, but it is certainly not godlike. In fact the Bible states that “childhood and youth are vanity” (Eccl. 11:10). God is looking for mature men and women in Christ. Such maturation takes time; which, for mortals, means passing through the stages of life. Aging it a natural process which God does not hold against us and one we certainly shouldn’t hold against ourselves. It is nothing to be depressed about; age has its own beauty. It is not ‘natural’ to keep the color of hair which we were born with, for chemical alteration is certainly not a natural process. Yes, graying is a sign we are getting older, but it is important not to shelter ourselves from our mortality and the need to make best use of what time we have. It is unwise to hide from our true condition in any aspect. Buying into the line that one needs to look “young” to be “beautiful” is bowing to the standards of a misguided world.
The Bible—and the God behind it—has a very different view of beauty. “The Lord looks to the heart” (l Sam. 16:7). He does not notice whether our hair is dark brown, or gray, or somewhere in between, in fact, we even read that “the silver-haired head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness” (Prov. 16:31). The important word here is if. A “silver-haired head” that is set in its own way is just as condemned as one that is black or brown or blonde. God judges by character and character alone.
If we are wholly bent on pleasing God and attaining the life He has offered us, the color of our hair will not concern us. Rather, we will want to avoid every possible contamination of the world in our lives, because “the world is passing away and the lust of it”; only he who does “the will of God” will abide forever (1 John 2:17).
God abhors human pride, and any attempt to appear what we are not is hard to define by any other term.
We may deceive ourselves and convince ourselves that certain things we like or feel comfortable with are necessary in our situation, but God does not regard these human judgments. He is looking for a pure heart and a righteous life. Outward vanities only lower us in His esteem and in the esteem of those who are godlike.