Clippers. Check.
Comb. Check.
Scissors Check.
Mirrors. Check.
Watching 10 hours of internet instruction videos. Check.
Common sense. Whoops! Checked out!
The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shelter in place have forced everyone to alter their usual routines and this includes haircuts. After over two months, I couldn’t tolerate my shaggy hair any longer and resolved to teach myself to cut my own hair. I rehearsed the technique at least a dozen times and confidently envisioned the glorious end product. It was common sense. How difficult could this be?
I confidently placed the clippers to my hair with a guard that supposedly would leave an inch of hair. A clump of hair immediately fell to the ground. I was surprised how easily the blades sliced through my hair. Clean, quick. “That’s not too bad!” I reassured myself as I examined my first pass from different angles in the mirror.
Bzzz. Another pass. Hmmm…that cut took off a little too much. No problem, I will simply cut a little more on the other side to even it out. Bzzz. Just a little off, need to even it out on the first side again. Bzzz. Oh oh….
It was a classic rookie attempt to fix a mistake in cutting one’s hair. Yes, there is a reason why I and millions of others should pay a professional to cut our hair. Common sense…and I am certainly lacking it.
O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense.
Proverbs 8:5 (ESV)
You simple people, use good judgment. You foolish people, show some understanding.
Proverbs 8:5 (NLT)
I like both translations of this Proverb because of the insight it gives into God’s Word and human nature. One does not have to do a detailed search of the Bible to find many admonitions about the importance of having common sense.
In none of my research for self-haircuts did I find anything that warned against what I did, but that does not mean it was a good idea or I should do it. It was foolish and lacked common sense. Just because something is not written in any manual or depicted in an instructional video does not mean it is not important or should be ignored. Companies have many unwritten rules and principles that should be adopted, such as common sense, a good attitude, and the willingness to help one another. These are the attributes of every employee who seeks to create a good work environment. If these principals are not part of the workplace culture and inculcated into every employee, the inevitable outcome will be petty jealousies, snarky comments, and strife.
Principles of common sense are usually not written down. I exhibited a lack of common sense and sadly, it will probably not be the last. My spiritual life is no different. Thanks be to God that He gives the Holy Spirit to myself and all believers in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Through His guidance, I learn prudence, good judgment, AND common sense.
And that’s not too bad!
Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.
The Bereans Blog 