Fancy Nails and the Gospel

Colossians 4: 5-7
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

As I was chatting with my mom over the phone last week she told me about the most intriguing woman she met who gets manicures and pedicures every other week for the very purpose of ministering to the women who do her nails. Ha! I laughed aloud a bit after hearing what sounded like a dually- intentioned excuse to always have pink-polka-dotted toes that conveniently match your newest handbag. But my mom spoke on with convincing inflection in her voice, “All of the women in the nail shop are Vietnamese immigrants. Most of them speak only a little English. Can you imagine, Abbie? Here are women that are rarely recognized while at work and in walks an affluent woman who comes not only to get her nails painted, but to talk to them, listen to them, invite them over to her home for dinner.” The more I thought about this creative ministry, the more powerful it became. It rang with familiarity…Jesus’ parable of the banquet host giving the most honored seat to the most impoverished of his guests. The greatest treatment given to “the least of these”.

In our culture I think often women in the “beautification” industry, specifically hair and nail stylists, are treated in the same fashion as bartenders—they become the “token listener” for the client who comes in worn out at the end of the day desperately needing someone to pour their troubles upon. There was something distinctly different about the approach of the woman my mom told me of—a role reversal—she sought out the women in the nail shop to listen to them instead.

My mom’s story was fresh in my mind as I went to the hair salon late last week to make an appointment. I admit—I was not going with the intentions of ministering…I just had split ends and it happened to be the closest (and cheapest) place to my house. I walked in and scheduled and appointment with the only woman who was available, Neptune. Anyone with the name of a planet in our solar system is hard to forget. The next day, I walked in at 5:30 p.m. anticipating an eccentric earth-mother type who would be ready to dye my hair an eye-catching shade of purple. Instead, I was greeted by a petite brunette named Diana. “Diana” I thought, “hmmm...” Diana spoke up, “Neptune couldn’t make it tonight so I am filling in.” I sighed with a bit of relief.

Within minutes of trimming and clipping, Diana started asking me questions about men. “So do you have a boyfriend?” I am sure that question is normally the trigger of hours of response time coming from whoever typically sits in Diana’s chair. But I kept hearing my mother’s story. I flipped the question, “Do you?” I asked. Diana, a little taken back by my inquisitiveness, started to tell me how she ended a two-year relationship just three days before. She also told me how it was her first relationship since the end of her 23-year marriage which resulted in her husband leaving her for another woman. I sat in the chair just asking the Holy Spirit what to say. “How is your heart doing?” is all that came out at first. “Fragile” she said, “very fragile...” She kept talking and I kept listening. The conversation meandered its way into the realm of her father—another broken relationship. She was a woman who had been let down one too many times to hide behind her small 5’2’’ frame and darling smile. The smile began to disappear as she gave way to her deep emotional pain. By God’s grace, the room was empty—I was the last client to get my hair cut that day. The emptiness of the salon gave Diana the freedom to pour out what she probably hadn’t even shared to her co-workers. Diana kept talking about how she desired to join a divorcee support group. “Maybe then I will get a little understanding” she said. The Lord kept pressing it on my heart to invite her to church. Finally I opened my mouth, “Diana, have you ever thought about trying out church? I go to church and have found it to be a lot like a support group. A lot like a family, too.” She just remained quiet, letting me speak on. I told her about the value of Christian community—how the intent and purpose of fellowship is to aid one another in making our lives right before the Heavenly Father…the Heavenly Father, there was another thing to share about. The Spirit kept helping me out, giving me words and discernment. By this time, my haircut was long over and Diana had taken a seat in the salon chair next to me. She opened her mouth to share more about her dad, more about her ex-husband, more about her pain. She began to cry and shake a little. I couldn’t stop thinking about how physically little this woman was. I just pictured her tiny frame wrapped up in Jesus’embrace. I pictured her reunited in her Savior’s arms—the one source of comfort that would be all-sufficient to each and every one of her needs. Before long she asked me, “Where did you say you go to church again?” I told her that I went to Athey Creek Fellowship—just down the road, but that I would be gone at weddings for the next two weekends. I gave her directions and encouraged her to go on her own until I returned. I told her that if God is the Living God He says He is, then surely He could pull a few strings and bring the right people in the church community into her pathway. All she needed to do was show up.

Two-and-a-half hours after arriving for my haircut in what turned out to be an incredibly providential encounter with Diana instead of Neptune—I left Tangles Salon. Diana gave me her phone number and we shared a big hug. I drove home crying out to the Lord. Every need that Diana had shared was so obviously pointing to her greater need for Jesus’ fulfillment and redemptive power in her life. Walking to my front doorsteps, I just praised the Lord. How good He was to share those moments with me. How good He was to provide opportunity. How good He was to give me courage. I was filled with such a confidence in Him knowing that He was going to complete the work He began in Diana’s life that evening.

I plan on calling Diana sometime very soon to see if she went to church yesterday. I am so excited to hear about the people she “just so happened to meet” these last few days. I am praying with confidence that the Lord will just keep bringing women and men of faith into her life to deliver more and more of His invitation of love and grace to her. Isn’t the Lord awesome how He works? Sometimes He just lets us poke our nose into people’s lives at opportune times. Sometimes we get to be a part of the harvest right at the beginning, and other times he let’s us participate in those ripe, exciting moments. The Lord really encouraged me through my encounter with Diana to keep speaking up. To “make the most of every opportunity” just like the woman who intentionally gets her nails done to share the gospel of God’s love with the Vietnamese women in the nail shop. Sometimes making the most of opportunities means they will fall into our laps, other times it requires seeking them out.
Ok, everyone, go get haircuts and manicures! :)

Things to pray for:
1) Pray that Diana would encounter Christ’s redemptive love daily, even if she hasn’t stepped foot in a church service yet.
2) Pray for healing and restoration in Diana’s relationships with her father, ex-husband, and ex-boyfriend.
3) Pray that the Lord would continue to press Diana’s name on my heart to lift her up in prayer and follow up on her life. Pray that she will come to church with me two Sundays from today (July 8th).

Thank you for praying!