I do hope that most of the people reading this article are sitting down when they are reading it, or should I say if you are not sitting down please do so. Please take heed you have been warned, this is going to be very real, I am going to lay a rather peculiar thought of mine, right before your very eye.
It has been almost a year now, and I have had a statement rolling around in my head, more so my heart. One I hold dearly to. It has almost in a sense been my mission statement for the past year. Continually, daily I think on it and try and adhere to it in every sense. Though, I must admit I do fail, and often make it only a few hours of the day prior to temporarily abandoning it, only to quickly feel the pain of repentance and once again cling to the promise of forgiveness through Christ. This statement, this grouping of mere words, is monumental to me. This is me, it is what keeps me from being me, and being the me that my Lord intended before my very birth. This proclamation of words is me, killing me, so that I might live.
So where am I going with this you are probably asking. I will be quick in this; I am heavily weighing the thought of getting a tattoo, of this very pronouncement. Now do know that I have studied and prayed on this very thing, and I feel rather well versed on such said subject. I am aware of the several directives in the bible on markings, and such, however I am also aware of the context from which they are derived. The first being Leviticus 19:28 where the Jews are commanded to “Not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord”. I believe from what I have read that God is telling His people to not be as the pagans in their rituals that they felt would please there gods in the afterlife. Also noted is 1st Corinthians 6:19, “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, who you have received from God?” This I understand as Paul telling the church in Corinth to stay away from the sexual rituals of the gods of the time, or sexual immorality. I know there are others, but those two stand out in my feeble mind.
This tattoo would be a simple sentence, written in Aramaic, Greek, or Latin. It’s location is yet to be determined. There would be no symbol, nor drawing, just words, beautiful words that mean more to me than I could ever properly converse. It would be not for the benefit of another, nor to bring attention to anything other than my Savior, and what He has taught me by these words that is required of me. However not only of me, but to any who choose to walk in Him.
So with this, it seems I pretty well have my mind made up. Although I am still in disbelief, for my entire life I always labeled myself, as being not the “tattoo type”. I have never really been for them, and never really against in a sense either. Nor can I say I am at this point one more than the other. So with that said I also know myself well, and know that I also value the counsel of the wise. So what say you? What are your opinions, suggestions and convictions? Please hold nothing back, for I desire your thoughts.
Joshua, I have so thoroughly enjoyed reading your last three posts. The Christmas Gloom one…I could relate to.
And we all know of your love of a thrill. Poor Michelle!
But I am completely surprised about this one. About the tattoo. I have for the longest time thought they were tacky and tasteless and almost everyone I know that has one regrets getting it. So that’s a tough one. AND I told Hannah only people that go to jail get tattoos…I know that’s horrible. BUT if you do get one I think the only suitable words that should be permanently scripted onto your body should be
I love michelle or Michelle’s Man or something of the sorts.
Hahahaha
I can’t even imagine what michelle is thinking about this.
By: monica on December 27, 2008
at 2:56 pm
Monica I know you are serious, but you are also sincerely hilarious. Thank you for commenting on the post, I appreciate the kind words as always….
By: joshuasthoughts on December 27, 2008
at 5:11 pm
There is such a stigma on tattoos. I highly oppose them but I am not so sure that my reasons are valid. I guess like Monica I view them as trashy and ugly. I don’t know, I am at a loss of words. It would be weird if you had one. Is this a personal thing, like in a place only you can see or in a obvious place that will make a statement to everyone?
I hope I don’t sound hypocritical.
By: Michelle on December 27, 2008
at 6:04 pm
What is deep in your heart comes out of your mouth.
Should you feel the NEED to emphasize that which is so much a part of you by way of your flesh, go for the tattoo. GOD has provided the knowledge and the skilled individuals to remove the ink from your skin should you ever decide you don’t desire it on your body.
Why do you think you NEED to express “it” by placing the letters/image on your skin??
Is this a leading of Holy Spirit or your personal desire?
By: Nancy on December 27, 2008
at 7:46 pm
I say if it’s that important to you, go for it. But I say that with a word of caution from experience — I am one of those goofballs who got one only to later regret it. But maybe I wouldn’t regret it if I had gotten something really meaningful and important to me…. That’s probably no help at all, just throwing my thoughts out there.
By: Gary on December 30, 2008
at 7:57 am
Thank you Gary, being that you are the most level headed person I have ever come in contact with, I really value your opinion, not to mention your insight.
By: joshuasthoughts on December 31, 2008
at 7:07 am
Well Joshua, one thing for sure, life around you is never dull. Your fertile mind continually twists at the fabric of conventional thinking. A tattoo for God is such a unique concept that I don’t think I’ve ever pondered it. I realize this is stereotypical, but I’ve always considered a tattoo to be sort of a crutch by people of low self esteem, or a message of defiance to traditional values. In support of your idea, I think of two Biblical examples; one being Samson who had long hair as a vow to God, even though his contemporaries thought it was a shame for men to have long hair. The other is that God required the Israelites to wear frontlets on their forehead and on their wrist saying: “ Hear Oh Israel the Lord our God is one Lord “ Deut 6:4-8. Some things God does not want us to forget, and if it takes a tattoo to remind you, who am I to pass judgment. Where God really wants us to tattoo His commands are on our heart. One last thought, Jesus said if your eye offends you pluck it out, it is better to enter the kingdom of Heaven with one eye than having two eyes and cast into hell. So I say, if your skin offends you being plain and you can’t find any other way to remember, tattoo it. However, remember we are epistles read of men, and there are two little guys following you…
By: Rob Steele on January 18, 2009
at 9:26 pm
Interesting. As a non tatooer myself, I generally think it is a “bad idea”. But who am I to say. The only thing that comes to my mind (which could go either way in this discusion) is
You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.
(2 Corinthians 3)
By: cbgrace on January 19, 2009
at 10:15 am
I’m a little confused by your thinking of the scripture concerning our body being a temple of the Holy Ghost. Is this the only context where you think our body’s should remain pure and holy? If so, I would have to disagree. I believe that our temples—body, soul and spirit—should stay holy & clean in all ways or the Holy Ghost will not reside in us. I believe that our reminders should be kept in our heart–which is the Holy Ghost living within. When He is living within, He has ways of keeping us reminded of things.
By: Kathy on January 20, 2009
at 11:16 am
Thank you all for your words, I will have to say that I am still in deliberation. However I am sure this will soon pass, for when I even mention the idea of this my dear son Joshua’s eyes begin to water. He does not like the idea at all, no matter how just I feel it is.
Kathy in reference to your comment, this is not the only context I believe to remain pure, and that is partially the reasoning behind my thought. Though God’s words and call are in my heart, and have been since I was in the womb of my mother, I was born into a vessel of flesh. This vessel also resides in a world with little or no respect for the Spirit of the Most High God. As we walk in the Spirit, there are others who walk in “a” spirit as well. However it is of this spirit they entertain that builds the desires of flesh. It is until this spirit is subdued that one will struggle internally to the point of one or two things happening, either one will collapse, and lay down, fighting not another minute and giving into the desire of flesh before him, therefore bringing certain eternal death through sin. Or one will lie down and die to flesh, and be therefore baptized by the power of the Spirit of God, and rise up to slash the principalities down where they prevail. It is of the latter choice of death that I desire to profess, to proclaim, and yes even by the means of engraving it on my very flesh.
By: joshuasthoughts on January 26, 2009
at 5:52 pm