Locks of long flowing white hair and a beard the color of freshly picked cotton have become his trademarks, despite the God-given baritone voice that made him famous. 
He is, by far, the most recognizable member of the seven-time Grammy Award wining gospel and country quartet, The Oak Ridge Boys. His “mountain man” appearance makes it easy to assume that maybe it was some sort of strange mid-life style decision. At least, that’s what I always assumed. But I was wrong.
William Lee Golden wanted to see who he would be, what he would look like, if he was exactly who God made him to be. He explains it this way. “In 1980, I began to re-evaluate my life. I began to seek to find the man that God created. It just evolved. I don’t have any intentions of cutting my hair or beard. I am very comfortable with who I am.”
I can’t speak for the rest of you ladies, but I’m not quite that curious.
My hair gets highlighted when I can afford it. When I can’t, I still buy the cheap drugstore dye in a box, either dark blonde or light brown depending on the mood. My body receives bi-weekly treatments of Jergens Glow. And, I know they’re not married, but Merle Norman and Mary Kay make great partners in my make-up bag and on my face. All lame attempts at cosmetic comedy aside…if we subscribed to William Lee’s theory, who would we be? If we just surrendered our souls…ourselves…to God’s plan, how would our lives change? If we just really, truly, thought of Him as the Potter and us as the clay, would we be willing to yield?
In 1907, Adelaide Pollard, uncertain what God wanted to do in her life, wrote “Have Thine Own Way.” It includes the lyrics, “Mold me and make me after Thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still.” Who would we be if we allowed that much room for God to work? If we could get past our control issues, our plans for the future, our preconceived lifetime goals, who would we be? If we were stamped by God’s trademark and his words came from our mouths, what would we say? Whose glory would we seek, ours or His?
Jesus says In Matthew 23:12, “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” By submitting to the God who created him, William Lee Golden not only has one of the most famous faces in the entire music industry, but a legacy that will live on long past his time here on earth.
Although I still can’t imagine us ladies going “all nat-ur-Al” it does make me wonder how God would work in our lives if we were solely surrendered and totally submitted. 
© Copyright 2011, KeziahCarrie. All Rights Reserved
KeziahCarrie 
Comments on: "Who Are We?" (2)
having a conversation with my 7th grader lately..
trying to convince him that being different – even when it draws criticism or ridicule – is OK – is actually necessary.
being comfortable in your own skin.
not changing just to fit in -honors the God who created you unique. there is only one you. a splendid, fantastic creation – not to be denied or ignored or altered for the sake of ‘fitting in’.
but, feeling different – feeling misunderstood – can lead to feeling alone. mothering an adolescent is so much harder than mothering a toddler. mending skinned knees and making time for naps was kid stuff compared to this pre-teen life 🙂
Girl, I feel your pain. Ezekiel’s perfect college prep tutorial is closing its doors. We began the process of trying to find a new school after most were full. What to do? Public? Private? Christian? Will he be accepted into a world where many have attended since Kindergarten? We are on our knees and reminding each other daily that God’s got this! You tell your precious boy that any kid who goes hiking with a llama is about the coolest kid ever. We can’t wait to meet your children. 🙂