Let Your Hair Down

Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair. — John 12:3

“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair” is a famous lyric from a Brother’s Grimm fairy tale. Letting your hair down has become a popular idiom meaning “to relax and enjoy yourself without worrying what other people will think.”  In 17^th – 19^th century society, most women would wear their hair pinned back or up.  They would only “let their hair down” for brushing, washing, and in private.

I love the story of Mary anointing the feet of Jesus with a very expensive perfume as an act of worship.  Then she “let her hair down” and wiped His feet with her hair. During this time, it was considered inappropriate for a respectable women to let her hair down in public.  But true worship is not concerned about what others think of us (2 Sam. 6:21-22).

Some may feel when they attend church they must be immaculately dressed and not have one hair out of place.  But a healthy church is a place where we can “let our hair down,” relax, and be ourselves without worrying someone may spot one of our many flaws. 2 Corinthians 3:17 says, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” — Liberty to worship freely… openly… as the Lord leads, without fear of what others may think.

So, go ahead, “Let your hair down!”