It seems a lot of angst is experienced over teenagers and their hair. When I hit late middle school to high school (back before electricity was discovered) guys were starting to grow their hair over their ears. In some cases it went down over their collar. Rat tails came later. I cannot talk about mullets.
Many adults–and some leaders–responded with comparisons to hippies, communists and warnings about failing hygiene. Some pastors drew direct parallels between “long hair” and open rebellion against God. And much guilt was had by all.
In these later years many teens have begun to color their hair. I am not referring to “Golden Harvest #28,” either. It is more like “Flaming Hot Lips Red #1.” Then teens started coming to church with wild color and all bad preaching broke loose.
I do not understand why some church leaders get so upset about green hair on a teen when they have been laughing about “blue haired old ladies” for years. What makes “Union Blue” a more holy choice for hair dye than “Flamingo Pink”? If we were to rename bright green Just for Teens would it be just as suitable for use as Just for Men?
The way some parents react you would think spiritual power and authority are tied to hair styles and hair color. That went out with Samson. If hair styles made a difference televangelists would be able to walk on water and raise the dead.
Unless there is a direct connection to a gang or a “drug club” teens and hair is more about exploring who they are or testing the bounds of parental love than anything else. If your son comes home with “White Power” carved into his new buzz cut you have an issue. If your daughter comes home with fluorescent blue bangs and ends tell her it is cute and keep slicing the carrots.
Make it a goal to be so trusted by your kids that you are the first person they ask, “Bright pink, or bright green?” Then roll with it.
