Barbers seem to have a reputation for doling out advice, which is easy to understand.  In an age when technology has eliminated the human touch in so many ways (ATMs; pay-at-the-pump; self-checkout) theirs is one of few professions that still demands personal interaction.

My barber, James, has never backed down from any topic — at least not that I've ever seen.  He obviously talks to a lot of folks, so I'm sure he gets information from a variety of sources.  He hears a lot of different opinions, and he's not afraid to share his own on politics; sports; religion; marriage and child-rearing; you name it.  Even those things he may not be expert about are never so above him that he can't at least express his thoughts.

And even if I don't share his opinion on everything, every once in a while he has a real gem for me.  This one's so good I had to share it with you:

James knows my boys - maybe not as well as some folks, but he's obviously good at reading people.  The barber shop where he and his brother, Randy, cut hair has been in their family for decades now.  When Plano was at the far reaches of suburban North Dallas, their dad was cutting hair in the very same storefront shop in what is now "Old Downtown Plano."  The used a have a shoeshine boy there every day (back in the day before "business casual" became the business norm).  You can still get your shoes shined, but not every day of the week.

Now James and Randy have the place to themselves. I suppose you don't work in any service organization for
that long without knowing how to read people.  I've been going to Plano Barbers for about 17 years - long before any of my sons needed regular haircuts.  But James knows me and my boys now — as much as any barber can.

He tells me they're "good boys," which, of course, I always want to believe.  Still it's good to hear someone else say they think so, too.  James has talked to me and Nancy enough to know that we're serious about bringing our boys up right.  So he's not shy to share his experiences with his own children.

As we spoke one day about the challenges of having sons, he mentioned that his son had faced an important decision.  I forget what it was (I wouldn't share it if I did remember), or even what solution James suggested, because James drove home his advice with a profound statement that has deep, practical applications.

James held the clippers in one hand and a comb in the other, he paused and looked at me in the mirror in front of my chair.  I think this is the part of being a barber that I would like:

In the first place, I enjoy hearing myself talk.  (My friend, Santiago, once quipped that my greatest joy as a writer is not in "having written", but in having other people read what I write.  The writer's ego is a sad (if, perhaps, necessary) reality.

Secondly, there is no more captive audience in the world than a man wearing a hair-covered apron and sporting half a haircut.

So James pauses for effect, and he knows he has my attention now.  He goes on to say that, after he told his son what he thought he should do, he reminded him that, "my advice comes with insurance."

What a great thing to say - to remind your child that, even when the choice is theirs to make, they can always count on your advice.  And not just count on it, but bank on it.

At the risk of belaboring the point, what James was saying was:

"Do as I say, and if it doesn't work, I'll make it right."

But that promise implies a warning:

"Go against my advice, and you're on your own."

James has a lot of common sense.  But his wisdom in this area is nothing new.  He may have heard it from his mom or his dad, or someone else in his family.  He may have heard it from a good friend.  Or, he may have heard it from the Bible:

"A prudent man foresees evil, and hides himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished." (Prov. 22:3).

God's Word is full of promises for our lives — for husbands and wives; for parents and children; for money, time and work — and each one (directly or indirectly) carries with it guarantee:

"Do this, and you will live." (Luke 10:28).  Christ was not speaking of physical life, but spiritual.  To follow God is life.  To love Him and be loved by Him is eternal life and happiness.

There are choices in life — hard choices, too.  But, thank God, His promises come with insurance.