Wednesday, June 6, 2012

The girl with the tattoo

Talking with a friend this week, she told me of something that she saw recently that broke her heart. It was a young woman she came across, on the back of her leg was tattooed the phrase "this knee will never bow".

I've spent some time the last couple days thinking about it, and I just think I need to get some thoughts out... In case a person stumbles across this blog who has a similar attitude.

1) I don't know this person, and have zero idea about their life or any of the circumstances that led her to get this tattoo. I don't know what her true spiritual condition is, or what she truly believes about God. I would guess, from the evidence, that she calls herself an atheist.
I would argue however, that a person who would get such a tattoo is in no way an atheist. It is more likely that she knows that God exists, but chooses to live her life as though he does not... probably believing that life is easier that way. She doesn't have to be responsible for her behaviors if she can tell herself that there is no God. The worst part of this, to me, is that her lifestyle is eerily similar to many people who profess Christianity. The motivations behind the behavior is different... we tell ourselves that we are covered by the grace of God, or that our sin is less important than others'. We suppose on the love of God, choosing to live as if we are outside of His wrath. The end result of both of these types of people, is a life that is fake, sinful, and wasted. The final product is two lives that, when observed for the outside, look the same. They are both lives that are useless to the Kingdom of God. The hope for both is remembering who God is and truly coming into relationship with Christ. Both would then have a chance if amazing testimonies, and, with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit, could do amazing things to the Glory of God.

2) As I thought about all of that, I thought, "wouldn't it be great if someone just walked up and (lovingly) explained those things to her." Which reminded me of something Chan wrote about in CrazyLove: saying that those moments when we imagine what the world would look like if we all started living radically for the cause of Christ... in those moments, we need to remember that that behavior is not considered radical to God, it is what Jesus expects out of us, as followers. We are expected to converse with people like this young lady, get to know her story. We are supposed to invest in her and try to understand why she felt it was necessary to tattoo such a bold statement against God on her body. We are supposed to understand the depth of God's love for her, allowing us to recognize how to best display that love to her. We are supposed to open her up and allow the Holy Spirit to bring that deep, eternal heart change that I spoke of earlier... If we fail her by simply brushing past her, and judging her for that tattoo, her life may never change.

One day we will then stand in the presence of God, He will replay our life... I fear the when He stops the film and asks, "What about the girl with the tattoo?" I hate to think of all the times that I have not been obedient in living as Christ commands us to live. I break to think of the potential persons who are now, or someday may be, in the eternal torment of Hell that may have just been waiting for one person to care enough to listen, and allow them to see God's perfect love.

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