Tattoos

This is a reading from Romans, chapter 12, verses 1 through 2. 

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any long to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and prove what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." 

Keeping this verse in mind, I'd like to reveal my personal revelation on one of the hardest issues that I have dealt with. Tattoos. As a naturally artistic person, I have drawn and contemplated many tattoos for other people and have often debated one for myself. However, I was never able to really nail down an idea that I thought held enough meaning to be marked permanently on my body. 

I have debated vivid scenes of Jesus and his mercy, verses from scripture, images of Texas (cause I'm a 6th generation Texan and Texas only goes back 6 generations). I have debated Maori inspired designs and even Japanese garden views. HOWEVER, I realized that despite the meaning I put behind it and the relevance it might have to my life, and despite people thinking it's a form of standing out I really truly believe it is a type of conforming. I would do it not for myself, but for others to see and notice. This is not what I want for myself. 

In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians in chapter 6, verses 19 through 20 he states...

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with you body." 

If you really continue to take a look into this verse you recognize that your body is not only a temple, but as it states in Genesis 1:27, you are a temple that was crafted in God's image.

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." 

I don't know how many of you have studied art or taken a general arts course, but usually one of the main focuses brought up in art is architecture. When studying architecture, you learn that the architect designs and crafts a building in order to reflect its purpose. God has reflected our temple, our bodies in order to reflect Himself because what else is as glorious? and also to reflect the purpose, complete and total worship of Him who has made us. So now that we have set up the visual image of our bodies as unique and diverse buildings, let us think of our opinion of some great building. Let it be Buckingham Palace, Yankee Stadium, your house, McDonalds, whatever it may be, and imagine it with graffiti on it. Whether this graffiti is done by an amateur gangster and looks like crap or a professional muralist puts up his very best piece...it still is going to look odd and immediately cause people to form an opinion instead of drawing them in. 

Some of you may say, well some buildings are ugly...God doesn't make ugly temples. They are reflected in His image. So I encourage all who debate a tattoo or are set on getting one, take a second and contemplate what exactly you are doing to your perfectly designed body. I also encourage you to draw people in with your intellect and allow them to get to know you through verbal exchange and through that exchange they will find out what you're like and what you support and what you believe. (That was directed to those who truly believe their tattoo has some profound meaning) I even encourage this among those who are debating getting scripture written all over their back. 

Well I hope this provided insight, take it or leave it. It has been on my heart and trust me, I used to really really want a tattoo but I took it to God in prayer.