TATTOO

“I’m thinking of getting a tattoo of God on the back of my neck,” Richie said. Will his fourth tattoo make him a radical?

“I’ll be the one without a tattoo.” Pretty radical. I was describing myself to a stranger I needed to meet up with in a group setting. His business like response: “That’ll help.”

Who’s the radical? Tattooed Richie? Non-tattooed me?

Radical: “Marked by a sharp departure from the usual or traditional.”

I don’t know who wins the contest, but I do know this definition describes Jesus.

A young man approached Jesus, asking about how to become His follower. This man was rich, powerful, and moral; he seemed to have it all together.

Traditional religious thought would say, “Yes.” We would snag him up and put him on the church building committee.

Not Jesus. He viewed this man through eternal eyes. The Bible says, “Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him: One thing you lack, go sell all you possess and give it to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me.”

“When the young man heard this, he went away sad . . .” Jesus revealed one thing; He revealed the man’s heart.

Richie was musing about his tattoo desire on our way home from church. He doesn’t go very often. I shrug my shoulders regarding his tattoos. But going to church, that matters.

As a counter idea to a God tattoo on the neck, I said, “Why don’t you get Jesus in your heart?”

He smiles, “That would hurt.” Adding: “No thanks, I think I’ll keep it in ink.”

Yes Richie, being radical can be painful. Jesus dying on the cross for the sins of mankind, that was painful. That was radical!