No one noticed I shaved my beard.
I’m a guy that can shave in the morning and have a beard by lunch…so maybe it was just out of laziness that I let my beard grow out the last few months. I don’t know, I thought it looked kinda cool, kinda indie, kinda carefree.
My wife finally let me in on a secret: she wasn’t a big fan.
So off it went. My wifes response “mmmmm…” and a wink.
Exactly what I was looking for.
And everyone else…didn’t notice.
Really? I mean I looked in the mirror and it was a pretty big change.
No one. I expected my hairstylist to notice when I came in for my haircut. Not a word. Either of my sons. Nothing.
What do people do when you shave your beard?
The same is true when you launch a sermon series, promote an event, or even start to preach…people aren’t going to notice just because you do. And that’s okay. It’s just how we’re wired.
Some people will notice, take notice of them, they are your biggest fans, their emotions are connected to you. But most, won’t.
That means you might have to point it out if it’s important that people notice right away and give immediate feedback. Of course that might also mean you have to be okay without people pointing and noticing and just let it soak in.
If you want people to take notice it starts before you pick up the razor. My wife noticed because she was connected. It solved a “problem” for her (she wasn’t a fan of the beard). Create those connections, and people will not only take attention but it will mean something to them.
Of course maybe you don’t tell everyone you have an awesome [fill in the blank]. Afterall it’s easy to say, everyone says it. Let people experience it, let it soak in. And when you don’t hit everyone over the head with things right away, people will stop and look when you say “you really need to pay attention to this…”
I think the same thing is true for how we wear our christianity. Sometimes people should notice right away and sometimes the subtlety just rubs off little piece by little piece. I think the loudest testimony is that of a person who lives out their faith among those who don’t believe not the people who shout the loudest.
