"I don't know what I'd have done without you," he said. "Free haircuts for life!"
Every now and then, my dad pulls out a crazy story from his past that I’ve somehow never heard before. The tale he told me over lunch the other day did not disappoint.
My parents were both born and raised in Craig, a small farming community in northwest Missouri. Even today, Craig is a remote destination, but it was even farther removed from big town conveniences back in the 70s.
One brutal winter night, in the midst of a nasty blizzard, my dad overheard a call on the radio about an accident just a few miles away. A semi had slid out of its lane, hitting a motorist heading in the other direction. My dad worked part-time as an ambulance driver at the time, so naturally, he decided to jump in his car to see if there was anything he could do to help.
Dad was the first to arrive on the scene. Sure enough, the driver of the car was in pretty rough shape. His ribs were cracked, his leg obviously broken – but he was still alert.
Between the intense blizzard and their remote location, my dad knew it would be hours before an ambulance arrived. Fearing the deteriorating conditions, dad somehow managed to move the man from the wreckage and into the warmth of his own vehicle.
Now one of the blessings and the curses of growing up in a small community is that everybody knows everybody. And sure enough, my dad had immediately recognized the wounded driver as a barber from the small town just up the road.
It ultimately took 5 hours before an ambulance arrived. While they waiting for help, the barber repeatedly uttered his gratitude to my dad.
“I don’t know what I’d have done without you.”
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
“I owe my life to you.”
And perhaps the most valuable resource he had to offer, “You come see me for a haircut anytime. Free haircuts for life!”
An Offer He Couldn’t Refuse
Fast forward several months…
The barber made a full recovery, and my dad heard that he was back up and working at the small shop he owned in the next town over. Curious and concerned, dad decided to drive the few extra miles so that he could check on him while getting his hair trimmed.
Dad wasn’t sure how much the man would remember because of all the trauma, but the barber recognized dad the second he walked in the door.
“Mike!” he greeted him with enthusiasm. “Boy, am I glad to see you!”
He ushered dad into his chair, and fitted him with a cape. He then proceeded to cut dad’s hair, all the while gushing to everyone within the shop about my dad’s heroism on the night of the wreck.
Finished with his work, the barber unfastened the cape and looked straight into my dad’s eyes through the mirror’s reflection.
“That’ll only be $3 today,” he said with a big grin on his face.
Stunned, my dad was speechless.
Misunderstanding his silence for gratitude, the barber clarified.
“Well, I wanted to give you a half-off discount today. I’m just so grateful for what you’ve done!”
Half-Price Gratitude
Telling me this story, dad joked that he should have just left the cheapskate in the car.
Truth is, I know he’d do it all over again – with or without the thanks. That’s just the kind of man he is. Always going the extra mile to help other people, whether or not they notice.
But it did get me to thinking about this whole matter of gratitude…
In what ways have I been offering my Hero a half-price haircut?
When I truly stop to reflect on God’s goodness, I’m overwhelmed by all that He is and all that He’s done for me. He is my…
…Redeemer
…Provider
…Heavenly Father
…Sustainer
…Prince of Peace
…Shelter in the storm
…Hope
…Rock of Ages
…Friend
And so much more!
But in the daily hustle and bustle, it’s easy to slip into discounted gratitude…
A rushed prayer. A rote “thank you for this food.” Some periodic time spent in His Word. A bill or two dropped in the offering plate. Half-hearted volunteer work that’s seen more as an interruption than an opportunity.
I offer the King of Kings my tokens of appreciation, when what He really deserves is my all.
Psalm 100 offers a word of advice for those who have been redeemed:
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
This Psalm isn’t so much an order, as it is a statement of the obvious. When we dwell in the place of gratitude, deep and heartfelt praise is the natural response.
And so I will gladly give God my everything, because He is everything to me.