All The Difference
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.“
Isaiah 43:19
Someday, perhaps you’ll take a drive up to Evergreen Cemetery in Leominster, Massachusetts to see the unusual grave of Joseph Palmer. Mr. Palmer was a veteran of the War of 1812 and was described as a kind and tolerant man. But life was not easy for Joseph Palmer. People would openly insult him, throw rocks at him, frequently break the windows of his home, and even cross the street to avoid him when he passed by. And though he was a man of faith who regularly attended church services, Mr. Palmer was even denounced during sermons by his pastor, who refused to serve him communion.
What was Joseph Palmer’s crime? What had he done to merit such outrage? Very simply, he was different. It seems he was the only citizen in his town who chose to wear a full beard, which had been out of fashion in the United States since the time of the Pilgrims. That’s right, he was treated as an outcast and a criminal, by God fearing Christians, because he had a beard.
In 1830, the town’s people detested him so much that he was attacked by four men who attempted to forcefully shave his beard on the grounds that the beard was immoral. He fought against his attackers and was arrested. Even though he had the resources, he refused to pay the fine on principle, and was jailed the Worcester city jail. By his own choosing, he stayed in prison for more than a year. During that time he fought off two more attempts by jailers and prisoners who tried to shave his beard against his will.
Even when bad press across America came against the courts and town officials for imprisoning Joseph Palmer, he refused to leave when offered his freedom. Trying to avoid further humiliation, his jailors tied him to a chair and carried him out of prison against his will.
Sound like a familiar story? Yes, Jesus was very different too. Though Joseph Palmer faced none of the same persecutions as our Lord, He did hold to the same convictions. No man must follow the crowd simply because the crowd wants him to or demands him to.
Jesus held to His Father’s convictions; no matter what anyone said. Even His disciples told Him to back off a little. No. He refused to go in any direction which led away from His Father’s Kingdom. He knew exactly what He needed to do. He knew He had a divine right to do it. And, though it meant losing His life, He did it at full throttle!
But what became of Joseph Palmer. Because he was different and stuck to his convictions, he achieved national celebrity status. He then used his position to contribute time and money to the Abolitionist movements. Palmer died in 1873 at the age of 84. And if you take the time to visit his grave in Massachusetts, you’ll see a carved picture of a man with long, flowing beard along with the words, “Persecuted for wearing the beard.” Yet, he lived long enough to see Abraham Lincoln wear a beard in the White House.
Dear Jesus. I am feeling especially different today. Please remind me that I am different for You. I don’t want to follow the crowd. I want to lead the crowd to You! Show me the gifts you have given me so that I may use them for Your will and Your kingdom. And though others may ridicule me or not understand me, I know that you love and cherish me. Just knowing that makes all the difference in the world. Amen.
Tags: beard, crowd, Difference, follower
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