3 min. read
For years I bought into the shaving hype: Gillette razors. I always shelled out for the newest razor with 3 blades, then 4, then 5 including one on the back of the razor, even one that uses a battery and vibrates.
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Then at the beginning of 2014, after reading several articles on how to shave old school and why an old-fashioned shave is better, I took the plunge.
My wife bought me a shaving set with a badger brush, a bowl, and a safety razor. All I had to do was buy the shaving soap and the blades. Instead of spending $30 every couple of months for more disposable razors plus $7 per can of shaving cream, I spent $3 for shave soap and $10 for one hundred Japanese blades.
I used to spend over $175 a year on shaving products. In the first 6 months of shaving old-school, with half the shave soap left and way more than half the blades left, I spent $13 plus tax.
I’m getting the best shaves of my life!
This brings me to the first way that shaving and following Jesus are related …
We’ve Been Sold Lies
If you listened to companies like Gillette and Schick and countless others, like I did for years, you ended up spending lots of money on products that were inferior to the old ways and means.
If you thought following Jesus was what you’ve been “sold” from the predominant message of the US American church, then you spent your time showing up at a building erroneously called a “church” at least once a week, took some classes on how to study the Bible, spent time each year on a service project or two, and thought you were following Jesus.
But the modern era ways of following Jesus just don’t make disciples like the ancient ways.
What are the ancient ways?
Living in relationship with people in a specific time and place, sharing life together, celebrating together, grieving together, helping each other out financially and in other ways, letting Scripture and anything else we encounter speak into our shared lives and transform us, eating together around an open table, and letting the Spirit go before us and come after us in the regular routines of life.
The ancient ways having nothing to do with buildings, programs, paid professionals, “ministries,” weekly codified “worship services.”
Sure the new ways of following Jesus are more convenient, quicker, don’t infringe on much of our lives. But just like the new ways of shaving, they leave us wanting something better, something that actually works well.
With shaving, if you trade convenience for quality, you are also trading a quick fix for authenticity.
So too with being a disciple of Jesus.
Which brings us to another way shaving and following Jesus are related …
The Best Ways Take Time
For most of my adult life, shaving was part of my before or during shower routine. I could shave in 3 minutes or less. Almost $200 a year ensured I’d get done with shaving quickly. Sure I had whiskers that were missed. Sure I had some razor burn. But I got it done and checked it off my list and moved on.
Now shaving is part of my after-shower ritual, because I learned that a hot shower softens up the whiskers. Now it takes me about 10 minutes to shave, on a good day. I have to plan that into how long it takes me to get ready. I soften the brush, I lather up the soap, I swirl the lathery brush in my bowl for a few minutes until I get a nice thick cream. I now enjoy applying the shave cream to my face with the soft brush. I don’t rush it. Because it’s part of the experience. And with a safety razor I only need to shave each part of my face once, slowly. And I get the closest shave I’ve ever had, with no razor burn.
The old way is superior in every way, except that it takes time. But instead of rueing the time I’m losing, I revel in it and enjoy it.
Are you seeing how this relates to following Jesus?
Instead of making Jesus a “priority” that gets checked off my daily list — “Well I read some Scripture … check. I prayed … check. I went to corporate worship … check. I tithed … check.” –, now every aspect of life is part of following Jesus.
More and more I’m wanting most aspects of life to include relationships and people. The Scripture knows nothing of solitary religion.
But being in relationship takes time, sacrifice, commitment. And it means that becoming a disciple and making disciples is truly a life-long process.
So Should We Shave Differently?
That’s up to you! But if you decide to switch, I highly recommend this article.
As for changing the ways we follow Jesus?
As Jesus himself said, “No one who drinks the old wine seems to want the new wine. ‘The old is good,’ they say.” (Luke 5.39).