Yesterday I had my hair cut. As usual I went to Mark. We discussed Covid restrictions, football, local businesses… A bearded gent entered Mark’s shop silently and started reading his paper.
The haircut ended. As usual Mark said, ‘Do you want anything on your hair?’ Bearded gent looked up and said, ‘How about a hat?’ I laughed; Mark responded accordingly…
‘The Real Deal’ describes a person or thing that is genuine, authentic, an excellent example of its kind… a close relationship, a skilled craftsman, a car, an antique….
Mark gave me good hair cut; it was ‘The Real Deal’… when I was teaching I saw a number of home-administered haircuts that weren’t… and probably needed a hat!
Ezekiel was a prophet living in exile, in Babylon, acting out strange street dramas and bringing difficult messages from his God.
In chapter 13 Ezekiel describes prophets – not ‘The Real Deal’ – who ‘prophesy out of their own imagination’:
‘…they lead my people astray, saying, ‘Peace’, when there is no peace… when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash… Rain will come in torrents, and… hailstones hurtling down and violent winds will burst forth. When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, ‘Where is the whitewash you covered it with?’
Musing… Those fleeing from Afghanistan need ‘Real Deal’ people ‘to help them rebuild their lives; local children returning to school this week need ‘Real Deal’ teachers to help them settle into new classes and teach them well; friends need ‘Real Deal’ doctors ‘to diagnose wisely and provide the best treatment…
We need ‘Real Deal’ politicians as our country faces huge challenges ahead; our churches need ‘Real Deal’ leaders who are as they re-form after months of not meeting together…
… genuine, authentic, excellent people, not flimsy whitewashed walls…
Musing… on Jesus who came as ‘the way, the truth and the life,’ … genuine, authentic…‘The Real Deal’.
malcolmsmusings.org 