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God's Dreadful Withdrawal

My good friend Tullian Tchividjian sent the following note in response to my previous post:

Josh,

Concerning your recent post ironically entitled "A Reminder of God's Faithfulness" where you are pictured with a full head of hair only a few short years ago, I would be actually tempted to question God's faithfulness. It appears, my friend, that your head has experienced what the Puritans used to call "God's dreadful withdrawal."

Tullian

w.wo.hair.jpg

Posted by on April 24, 2008

Comments (26)

alex and brett from do something hard definitely have your resemblance especially one with hair. i guess it's a resemblance from your parents. way to go the harris in reaching this generation!

Posted by Joe Lee | April 24, 2008 2:12 PM

There is a tan now. And it's easier to fix your hair.

Posted by Randy | April 24, 2008 2:15 PM

I'm just glad I'm not alone in "God's dreadful withdrawal."

Inquiring minds want to know...

  • When did you start shaving the top of the head?
  • What clipper setting do you use on the rest?
  • And have you been tempted to grow facial hair for any reason (I would never suggest that you're looking for a way to compensate)?

Posted by W. Mark Whitlock | April 24, 2008 3:31 PM

It is sad what Alex and Brett have in store in a few years. Every time I see their hair, I remember when you looked like them, and think "Huh. They'll probably look like Josh in 5-10 years."

Posted by B. Minich | April 24, 2008 3:40 PM

God's dreadful withdrawal? To the contrary, I believe that it's a blessing! Why on earth would God have left hair to distract us from such a perfect face?

Posted by Anonymous | April 24, 2008 3:52 PM

To Anonymous:

Are you my mom secretly posting here?

Joshua

Posted by Joshua Harris | April 24, 2008 4:13 PM

This is anonymous again. Not your mom but a servant at your church who is always blessed by your comforting smile.

In fact, for a living, I treat baldness and if you ever came to me, you'd be rejected in a heartbeat. You have an anatomically pefectly shaped head that looks better bald than fully haired. Even if you had hair, I'd encourage you to shave it all off. Please don't let anyone make you believe otherwise.

Posted by Anonymous | April 24, 2008 4:53 PM

God's dreadful withdrawl...that's funny!

My dad went bald at about 23 (I guess three daughters in 25 months would do that to anyone!) But I grew up thinking men with hair were funny looking ;-)

Heather

Posted by Heather (Paulsen) Patenaude | April 24, 2008 5:46 PM

Perhaps, to see the perfection of baldness from God's point of view. Could He have simply earnestly desired to look down upon earth and see His Reflection? What better way than to create people with a shiny surface to see Himself? The point of all this: Keep it shiny!

Posted by Anonymous | April 24, 2008 5:48 PM

Josh,

Remember - Grass doesn't grow on a busy street!

Paul

Posted by Paul | April 24, 2008 7:07 PM

I think Josh is just shaving his head in order to help CJ's self esteem issues. It's shameful for me to pick at either of you since you don't even know me.

Posted by John Jordan | April 24, 2008 8:58 PM

Because of this lack of the hair I didn't recognize you at first when I accidentally found your blog. But don't worry, on men this look OK.

Posted by Natasa | April 25, 2008 12:16 AM

I'm not game to rip you off after reading what happened in 2 Kings 2:23-25...

Even though there aren't any bears in Australia, I'd hate for you to set a pack of angry wombats on to me, especially in the name of the Lord...

Posted by Nick Coller | April 25, 2008 3:55 AM

A friend of mine, who's also quite challenged in the hair department says that it is saves him money on shampoo and that he washes his hair with a faceclothe - guess you have to look on the bright side!
I'll probably go bald now, after commenting this!

Posted by boaly | April 25, 2008 4:12 AM

It's funny how some (like boaly) has an unhealty fear of regression. Before I saw the light and began bic-ing it (I started regressing at 17), I went super-vain and tried propecia, rogaine, hairsprayed-combover, etc. Now I've turned a corner and seen the beauty of baldness that I couldn't see when constrained by my hair. All of us who have the taken the plunge - and kissed our hair goodbye - have found something better.

Also, a couple misunderstandings out there:

1.) If one bics their head, and it often looks smooth, it means that they spend some time on it (read: I shave mine every other day when I shave my face) ... that means:
a.) it's not time consuming only every other day. In the end, we "shavers" have spent nearly as much time on our lack-of-hair as you combers spend on yours.
b.)it's actually quite expensive when you use a razor like the mach-3. It gives a tight shave, but costs more. Probably almost as much as getting a "super-cuts" haircut every month and a half.

Anyway, I'm going to now go and let my scalp shine before men that they might ... oh, never mind ...

Posted by Burly | April 25, 2008 8:19 AM

a bald head is so much more beautiful than a combover.

actually there's no comparison even necessary. if you have a combover, do us all a favor and shave your head too!

Posted by Emily | April 25, 2008 8:47 AM

Bald is beautiful :) I take my clippers and finish the job that genetics began.

Posted by Kevin | April 25, 2008 9:44 AM

Josh! I thought you'd get my joke. You're from Oregon -- you should know a little Spanish! Plus, you just so obviously have that great smile (in your second picture) that said to me, "Welcome to Covenant Life Church! We speak Spanish." Ah, well... too bad. And I was just considering moving to Maryland to attend. I'll have to put off plans to find a good, Spanish-speaking church YET again. Thanks a lot!

Posted by Nicole T. | April 25, 2008 5:21 PM

Bob Kauflin had a prophetic song for bald men at Celebration East one year. I'm sure it is recorded somewhere. Maybe you should consider posting it for all your readers who are either struggling with fear or denial when it comes to balding.

Posted by megan | April 25, 2008 6:02 PM

Hair is a stumbling block to holiness...just ask Samson. And I'm not just saying that because I shave my head...well maybe I am.

Posted by Gage Browning | April 25, 2008 9:25 PM

Since I don't know you and you don't know me, I hope you know I was joking about my comments earlier. I'm sure you do, but I wanted to make sure. I hope I didn't offend in any way.

Posted by Randy | April 25, 2008 11:24 PM

Burly, I admit it I have an unhealthy fear of regression.
Have to agree with Emily, bald is much better than a comb over - once my hair begins to decline I'll join you Burly in the bic-ing.

Posted by Boaly | April 26, 2008 4:54 AM

HAHAHAHAH! That's hilarious, I actually had very long hair before, and last year when I met you Josh at Na07, my hair was medium, and then during that summer with all that shave your head thing going on I decided to shave it all off (even though I'm not losing my hair). Anyways! Having a bald hair is cool!
Take care!
Gabriel, from Québec

Posted by Gabriel Gagnon | April 27, 2008 11:25 PM

Josh,

Take heart my brother. As one who is himself severly follically challenged, I can say you are looking good. I sat directly behind you one day at the T4G conference in Louisville and thought how I would give my right arm to have that much hair again.

Bald and desperate,
The Vanhalenator

Posted by The Vanhalenator | April 28, 2008 2:00 PM

I wonder if Josh could preach a sermon on how could men overcome their "Hair problem". It's always a heartache issue for men, especially for a young single man like me.

People around will keep reminding my thinning hair and it's hurtful especially when unsupportive family makes fun of my hair.
Thinning hair is also my stumbling block to get around with girls; fear that they will look at me disgustingly.

I am really admire Josh could be so confidently stand before thousands of people with great charm! Josh! Please tell us how you do that?

Posted by AsiaBoy | April 29, 2008 5:30 AM

Remember, bald men NEVER have a bad hairday.

Gave up at 28,
Erik in Oregon

http://kowalkerjourney.wordpress.com/about/

Posted by Erik K. | May 11, 2008 8:18 PM

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