Soul Tattoo

As someone who Looks the Way I do…Tattoos, Gauged Ears ... my Concern and dare I say it… fear, as a Jesus-loving sinner, is that I might be a stumbling block for someone. 

I am by no means perfect… or even close. I certainly don’t have it all figured out, but I do know this… if we die to our own desires, ask God to convict you if you’re Living for you and not him, Ask that he place desires in your Heart to guide you to where he wants you….and truly want that…want what he wants. We will live completely and abundant and with difficulty and Pain. So Let’s Talk About Tattoos.

When growing up… I wanted my ears pierced.. Living at home and being only 16 at the time I undoubtedly needed permission. When I asked my parents if I could pierce my ears my dad instead of saying no…or yes… challenged me. He asked me to show him where in the bible it says its ok to have your ears pierced. If I could find something to give proof of “ Jesus giving the ok”…Only then would he allow me to get my ears pierced.

DEAL.

I found myself digging through scriptures, verses and Even history books to find out the origins of piercings and what they meant and of course “Is it ok?”. I found some interesting things back then…but through the years I found even more perspective and have been blessed with Wisdom. The Lord seeing fit to turn my “Bad Past and Strongholds” into “His Plan and Strongpoint’s”. I Seek Him in All That I do. I try to be sensitive to the holy spirit enough to be convicted if I’m out of line. I do this by seeking him. Always.

 Now first things first… when I went to look it up, I first found the verse in Leviticus. You see, I believe there are many different rules in the Bible; some are cultural and some are eternal. 

Here is the verse I am referring to:

²⁸ “‘Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19, NIV)

At first it seems pretty straightforward, until you realize that it says

“for the dead”

and lets consider that getting earrings also constitutes cutting the flesh. "Ladies" and Gents. THE PAIGEN RELIGIONS HAD RITUALS FOR MOURNING THE DEAD THAT INVOLVED CUTTING and MARKING THEMSELVES. GOD DIDNT WANT THE ISRAELITES TO LOOK LIKE THEY WORSHIPPED A PAIGEN GOD. SIMPLE. 

Then, when you read the verses around it you find this:

26 “‘Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it.
27 “‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.”

In this passage, Moses is beseeching the Israelites, God’s chosen people, to be set apart: to be holy. And the rules listed consist of a mixture of heart-rules and head-rules. Ones that are meant for 

A.) preserving one’s relationship with God and with man, and 

B.) for preserving cultural cleanliness and order for that time.

The Old Testament commands which carry forward to the New are those that focus on preserving one’s relationship with God and man, rules such as:

15 “‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.
16 “‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people.
“‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord..
18 “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19)

And then there are other rules mixed in with those such as:

“‘Do not mate different kinds of animals.
“‘Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.
“‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material. (Leviticus 19:19)

These, I believe, are cultural. And you are welcome to disagree with me. The Bible is infallible, yes, but we as readers are fallible.

WE DO NOT LIVE UNDER THE OLD LAWS.

If you Believe that we Live Under The Old Law.

Then that shirt you’re  wearing that’s half polyester Half Cotton is a Sin. Unless we are picking and choosing... ahem.

When Jesus was asked about all the Old Laws of the Old Testament. He answered I did not come to Abolish the Old Law, But to fulfill it…We are living Under a New Covenant… Not a covenant of Rules and Laws…But of Grace and Mercy.

It can all get so messy discussing matters of the Heart, unless we realize the Spirit behind the Bible: a Spirit that longs for us to be set right with God.

Jesus came to fulfill the rules that preserve our relationship with God and with each other. 

He came to give us the Holy Spirit so we might not steal, or cheat, or envy one another.

As for marking one’s body on behalf of the dead, or wearing clothing of two kinds of material, or clipping one’s beard… I believe those were intended to keep cultural cleanliness and Order for that time and Have Nothing to do with your salvation.

1 Samuel 16:7 – “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (NIV)

Jesus chastises us when we focus too much on the outward appearance and What’s Acceptable:

25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

I think What God cares about most is us surrendering such decisions to him. If we give our desires to him, he will make our path straight.

Over Years, I’ve had the privilege of learning to hear Lord’s voice and how he choose to Speak to Me. I know some hear him through Scripture, others through dreams. For me, I have conversations with him and am constantly amazed at his Perfect Timing.

If the Tattoo will be a source of pride and vanity for you. I think you should ask yourself how does that bring glory to God?

I Believe that I am more than my skin. More than my physical appearance. That I matter in an eternal kind of way.

I don’t have all of the answers. I do know, however, that God cares about us. He cares about every decision that we make. We don’t need to be afraid to surrender, because he is not out to get us. He is a good father who wants to bless his children.

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, … how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…” (Matthew 23)

After all, the Bible says in Revelation19:16 that Jesus has a tattoo on His thigh, "And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."

I think it comes down to personal conviction and we should never try to push our personal convictions on others. Ultimately, the decision is between you and God

If you want a Tattoo, Then pray about it. Its a Matter of the Heart. God Knows Your Heart.

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