Stabbed 37 Times

 I admit I was a little reluctant to sit in the barber's chair. This barber had never cut my hair. I know I don't have a lot of it, but I like my hair cut in a certain way. A military cut. High and tight. Zero on the sides into a high fade 31/2 on the top. If it works out, I try to cut it every two weeks.

 I like old fashioned barber shops. I like barbers. I especially like it at the end when they put the hot shaving cream on the neck and around the ears and they shave those spots with a straight razor. I guess that feels like pampering a little. 

In the middle of that haircut, I asked the barber if he knew Jesus as his Savior. For the first time he stopped cutting to respond. He said, "I came to Jesus in an unusual way. My first wife was murdered. She was raped and stabbed 37 times. I would not have made it through without Jesus." 

I could not imagine the horror and pain of such a tragedy. The grief. The working through a range of emotions. The shock of it. The torture of knowing your soul mate died such a horrible and violent death. The guilt of not being there to protect her. 

Out of that tragedy a man came to Jesus. He found redemption, peace and strength to put his life back together. That happened multiple decades ago. He eventually remarried. He has been a barber for 47 years. He has joy. He did not seem bitter. He definitely did not play the victim. He had a horrible tragedy happen. Jesus helped Him through and this man has lived a good life even, if he did so with a hole in his heart. 

Many people live with that same hole in their hearts. They grope through life without a spouse, child, parent, or grandparent. There are many uncertain things about life. One thing is for certain. People die. We do not like to use the word die or death. We talk about people passing instead of dying. We comment people went to go be with the Lord instead of saying they die. Death is all around us. The funeral home business is flourishing even in a pandemic. Death happens. Cancer kills. So does Corona Virus as well as the flu. People kill other people. Death is a reality. 

You and I will die if Jesus tarries. We do not get to determine the way we will die. Some will die peacefully in their sleep. Others will suffer and die a little more each day in agony. Some will die tragically in an accident or murder. 

Where will you spend eternity? That is the foremost question that must be asked. Many do not know. They have not considered it. What a gamble. That precious lady, who got stabbed to death, did not wake up that day thinking this will be the last day of my life. Her life came to a violent and sudden end. It could happen to any of us. 

Only Jesus gets us into Heaven. Only faith in His amazing grace to pay our ransom and give us what we could never own on our own merit. Jesus paid the price He did not owe for the debt we could not pay. If you have never done so, trust Him today. Cry out for His salvation while there is still time. One day it will be too late.