Washable Tattoos

In a discussion of future tattoos with my eight year old yesterday, he told me he would get "mom" tattooed across his chest someday. Ah, the swell of pride in this mama's heart...was short-lived. This morning, he asked for some clarification: "You mean they never, ever come off? I don't think I'm going to get your name on me then."

Now, in the practical application of this, I am fine. I didn't really want to see Mom in giant Romanesque letters on my son's chest. But I was a little sad to see I had lost status with him. The conversation made me consider the way I accept Jesus into my heart and my life.

I have been a practicing Christian, following hard after Jesus, for about seven years now, even though I've been a believer for 20 years. There are days when I'm ready to tattoo His name in big letters across my head for all the world to see, and other days when I'm feeling a little less committed. Times come when I want to whine and say "But God, didn't you see..." and I feel justified in being ugly towards someone. Following Jesus means that sometimes I deny what I feel like I deserve for the sole reason that He did the same for me. He didn't hold back for me on the cross, and in return, I take up my own cross, even when it's heavy and painful and slows me down.

The world is watching to see how we carry our crosses. A few weeks ago, a certain copy-center goofed up my order three times in a row, but since it was my speaker bio sheet, I felt a certain standard of behavior was extra called for. And, in retrospect, that "goof" put the words of how God changed my life in front of someone three more times...maybe someday I will meet that person in Heaven and find that those mistakes changed the course of their life. Who knows?

Tattoos are forever, unless you get them lasered off of course, but here's the thing: we can accept Christ as Savior, ask Him into our hearts, then willingly and consciously turn our backs on Him. He cannot do the same. When He sends His spirit to us, we are His forever, even if we don't act like it. If you have distanced yourself from Him and wonder if it's too late, the answer is no. He cannot deny Himself, cannot un-tattoo you from His hands, and is waiting for you to come back. If you are reading this, it is not too late. Your tattoo and commitment may have been washable, but His never was.

"Our faith may fail, his never wanes- That's who he is, he cannot change!"

2 Timothy 2: 13 (ISV)