Daily Devotional for August 3, 2022

Usually, during the work week, I wear shirts with our church logo.  Everyone who sees the shirt knows I am somehow related to our church.
 
Yesterday I did not wear one of those shirts.  I should have.
 
Early yesterday morning, before the day shifted into high gear, I decided to get a haircut.
 
I drove to the barber shop.  There were no customers, only two barbers.  I was immediately seated.
 
There are two types of men that go to the barbershop.  One type wants to have long conversations with the barber and solve all the problems of the world.  The other type wants to sit in peace and quiet, and not have a long-drawn-out conversation about everything that’s wrong with the world.
 
I was very comfortable with silence.   The barbers were not.
 
As one barber began to cut my hair, he said, “I am sorry for the coffee breath.”  The other barber said, “The good thing about having coffee breathe at night is the wife doesn’t know you were chasing women at the bar.” The first barber said, “You can chase women at the coffee shop too.”
 
Then he said to me, “Sir, what do you do for a living?”  I responded, “I’m a pastor.”  Suddenly, all the oxygen left the room. 
 
For the rest of my haircut there was nothing but peace and quiet.  It was wonderful.
 
This got me thinking.
 
If I had been wearing a shirt with our church logo, I am certain, by their reaction, these two men would not have been talking about chasing women at bars and coffee shops.  But, because they said it is front of a pastor, that meant God heard them and they did not want God to hear that conversation.
 
Lesson One:  If you don’t want God to hear it, don’t say it.
 
Also, I am certain these two men thought I was judging them for their crass comments.  I was also certain they were judging me for thinking I was judging them.
 
Lesson Two:  Don’t judge.  That’s God’s job.
 
Also, just for the record, never judge someone who is giving you a haircut and holding a pair of scissors close to your neck.
 
Lesson Three:  You never know what the day will bring but that’s okay because God does.
 
King David said, “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.”   (Psalm 37:23-24)
 
While you may not have a conversation about coffee breath and chasing women, one way or another, the unexpected will happen.  Enjoy it.
 
Prayer:  Dear Gracious Heavenly God, fill me with peace, joy, and let me feel your presence as I walk through life.  Thank you for being with me.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.
 
Today is the only day you are guaranteed so make the most of it.
 
I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.
Tom Robbins