Pastor Jim Jackson
Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church
Tattoos are in these day. I remember when you hardly saw one except maybe on a service man, a veteran of War World Two maybe. Seems like mostly sailors wore them back then. Made me want to get one also, perhaps a battleship on my chest. But the way things go with age, I suppose that by now it would have sunk to my lower stomach.
Walking without a shirt, people would get to witness a ship in distress, bouncing around with one wave after another.
Anyhow, everywhere you look there are lots of people wearing tattoos. But I’ve never liked needles. I cannot look when the nurse is sticking me with one.
I understand that’s how they inject the inks under your skin. How can one stay still for a skull and bones applied on the back of your leg or someplace else? My mind goes blank imagining.
Growing up and working on a cattle ranch in central Florida, I remember branding cattle. Isn”t that a kind of tattoo? Yousuppose one cow looked at another and wished: “My, I wish I had gotten one like that”? Just think such a “tattoo” didn’t cost the cow but a few days of pain. It told you something about who and whose cow it was.
I’ll bet some persons who choose to be tattooed want you to gaze and try to determine what that says about them.
Could it be a subtile way of saying: “I’m a decorator,” or maybe “I’m a flower gardener”?
Could be good for business. Back in the day, some sailors sported a tattoo spelling “Mom.”
That makes sense for someone sailing the ocean blue in harm’s way—thinking about Mom. Some had the name of a girlfriend or boyfriend tattooed upon themselves. That must be endearing to one whose name is applied to a special friend’sbody. But what happens when the relationship goes sower? And how do you explain to a new special friend, a husband or wife? Must you wear long sleeves then on?
Unlike persons cited above who choose to have marks applied to their bodies, some have been marked against their will.
I’m told that some slaves were branded. How cruel! I’ve read how primitive worshipers were marked with a sign identifying their god. I had a friend in seminary from Africa who had tribal marks on his face, ones applied when he wasvery young.Paul’s body was marked (tattooed) against his will, He wrote in Galatians: “I bear in my body the marks of Jesus.” How did he get them?
Check out II Corinthians 11:25: “Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked,…” Now that tells you something about how much Paul loved the Lord and was willing to experience pain for his obsession if that’s what it cost him.
My fellow Christians, wear your tattoos if you wish, and wear the character marks of the Lord Jesus if you dare.
