When Jesus shaved his head

By Mike Benson

Nine-year-old Kamryn Renfroe was recently kicked out of her Colorado elementary school. She was told she couldn’t come back to class—at least until she either put on a wig, or her hair grew back.

Kamryn had shaved her head, and so the administration disciplined her.

It was an obvious dress code infraction. She had blatantly broken the rules of Caprock Academy. The school’s dress code requires uniformity and that all students adorn themselves in a non-distracting fashion. And what could be more distracting than a bald-headed little girl in class?

Well, except for another bald-headed class mate.

You see, Kamryn didn’t shave her head to create a scene or contravene the rules. Hers was not an act of violation, but compassion. She shaved her head to become like her friend, Delaney.

Eleven-year-old Deleany Clements suffers from neuroblastoma—a deadly form of childhood cancer. Kamryn saw that her friend had the only bald head at Caprock, so she decided to support and encourage her lonely, hurting friend by essentially becoming just like her.

Delaney loved it! She said, “It made me feel very special and that I’m not alone.”

Isn’t that what our friend (John 15:13-15) Jesus did for us, too?

Man suffered from the deadly form of soul cancer (e.g., sin) with no hope of survival (Romans 3:10, 23). And instead of just watching him suffer in silence, Jesus “shaved his head” metaphorically speaking, by taking on flesh and manifesting himself in human form. He became one of us. He identified himself with us. Scripture says:

”And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” (John 1:14a).

“…God was manifested in the flesh…” (1 Timothy 3:16a).

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life” (1 John 1:1).

“…Jesus Christ has come in the flesh…” (1 John 4:2b).

“Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh” (Romans 1:3).

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same…” (Hebrews 2:14a).

“Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man…” (Philippians 2:6-8a).

Since he came as one of us, Jesus knows exactly what we are going through. He understands when we are tired (Galatians 6:9), or lonely (John 6:66; Matthew 26:56), or sad (John 11:35; 1 Thessalonians 5:16), or tempted (Hebrews 4:15)!

If Deleany felt special when Kamryn became like her, how do you feel as you realize Jesus became like you?

Think about it.