July 03, 2007
Tattoo
I watched a TV news segment on tattoos and was surprised at some of the reasons people gave for getting tattooed. For some, tattoos are a reminder of their children, their faith and loved ones. One person spoke of the permanency of a tattoo, “It’s a life long commitment, its forever.” Although I’m not a candidate for a tattoo, I think it makes a good illustration for those of us who accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Even though we don’t wear a visible image, our being sealed to Jesus is permanent, life long and forever.
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Gail;
-----I never did do very well at art. I think I somewhat stuck to my first grade art experience of coloring in the outlines of mimeographed pictures (after sniffing all the smell out of them.) As I progressed through art, I still tried to draw outlines to color in.
-----Jesus revealed in His prayer recorded at John 17 that through our unity in love the world would know He came from the Father. Peter says that the unbelieving husband can be won to the Lord by the behavior of the believing wives (I Pet 3:1). John says that we can be sure we are His if our love resides in action and truth beyond mere words (I John 3:18-19). And Paul speaks of the Corinthians as a living letter, “…known and read by everybody.” (II Cor 3:2). The things we do in our lives are living pictures that are observed by others.
-----I have always faulted the church for emphasizing such matters as tithing, attending church regularly, regular devotion times, and helping with church activities. Something seemed to be missing. And so many people touted as church pillars were visibly such partial pictures. I developed a distaste for religious things after observing much pain and confusion caused to others by good church-goers. I started coloring my life the best I could using mostly what I could find in the Bible. The church as an example of godliness had lost my trust. But as I continued to search the Word and the examples in life events, I began to realize that the church was just drawing for me the outline. It was my responsibility to color it in.
-----I wish I had been perceptive enough to realize this earlier in my life. I no longer knock the folks who go around with colorless outlines for tattoos. I go around with all these colors applied rather randomly and blurring over what should have been boundaries defined by lines. I pay better attention to the church’s messages now.
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