Conviction?

While washing dishes yesterday and letting my mind wander over all sorts of subjects, I came up with this thought:

Is it really a conviction from God, or just something you would like to do?

This thought stemmed from reading blog posts defending certain individual's choices in their walk with the Lord or just in life in general. Some of them go to great lengths to explain why they do what they do. Biblical truths can be twisted or even misused.

Overall, what they chose to do is harmless, and really, in the world full of "individual expression" be it purple and orange hair spikes or wearing your knee length hair covered, why does it have to be such a big deal?

If you're honestly convicted, fine.

If you just want to do it, fine....but don't try to prove it's a conviction.

I have long hair and for a while I used to be all self-righteous about it and made sure to tell every woman with short hair the Bible verse about a woman's long hair. I pretended it was my conviction, but really, I just preferred to have long hair. I sought out other blogs and websites to help support my position and prove I was right. Oh, what a silly, young thing I was.

I have long hair. So what?

You know what is funny? Most people think I have long hair because of a Biblical conviction. Some of it is because of my past attitude. Some of it is because simply the act of having long hair has people wondering, "she's eschewed modern hairstyles, so she must have some sort of religious view on hair."

I just like it.

Simple as that.

I don't feel any more righteous having long hair.