That was my hubby's response when I said I wanted to get a tattoo for my 50th Birthday, which was last month by the way. He made the word "why" have eight syllables as he asked the question. I had thought about it for a long time but this was really my first time talking to him, or anyone else really about it. When my daughter was 21 she got a tattoo and I am sure I said "Why" exactly the way the hubby did! She said that she wanted to and that she got a tattoo of an ichtus. "Okay, what the heck is that?" and her smarty pants reply "Mom, it's the Greek word for the Christian Fish symbol." It's hard to argue with that and also she was 21 and not seeking my approval as it was already done. I stupidly asked if she had been drinking...picture this if you will my drunken daughter asking a guy to tattoo a Christian symbol on her foot. Too funny! "Moooommmm" "They won't do it if you have been drinking!" Then I thought ..."She can never deny who she belongs to." You see now a days, everyone pretty much knows about the Christian Fish Symbol because you see it on car bumpers and anything labeled Christian but in the early days only fellow Christians understood the symbolism. The fish would not have been an obvious symbol to people who would persecute Christians. But to believers they would know that Jesus asked several fisherman to be his disciples, declaring to make them "fishers of men."
It's said that when a Christian would meet someone new he would draw an arc in the sand. If the other person were a Christian they would finish with a second arc. If the second person were not a Christian they would not complete the symbol with the second arc and the half symbol would not reveal or endanger the first person.
We obviously live in a country where I don't have to worry about any real persecution but the idea of me permanently labeled as a Christian seems really important to me. I want to stand for my faith and I hope in a positive way. I am a Christian. I do not pretend to agree with all those who label themselves as Christians, I just know who I belong to. I know I don't need a tattoo to show that I am Christian but next Saturday, I am getting a tattoo on my foot, just like my daughter's!
I am a little afraid of needles... but not persecution.
I want others to know I follow Him.
As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, as they were fisherman. "Come follow me" Jesus said "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him.
Mark 1 16:18
7 comments:
Oh my gosh are you really getting one!! Im still contemplating:) I know exactly what I want, just still waiting..
Yea, and announcing it to everyone...kinda makes it hard to back out!
YAY...that's my foot :) I always like to say that having the fish there helps me walk in the right path, His path.
...and can we back this truck up for a second? I told you that next Saturday I will be out of town. :( Unless you want to come to Clearwater to do it...which would be cool. Can we reconsidered? Maybe do it THIS week while I'm off???
Can we reconsidered? Do you mean reconsider?
Well, I guess I can do it this weekend...oh Dear Lord! Cool picture by the way... that's the Great Wall of China...right? You should blog about your travels...Rachel's Remarks or aRound with Rachel!!!!
You're a butt...I was in a hurry this morning. Clearly my fingers got ahead of themselves. YAY...this weekend!!!! If you do it sooner then that is less time for you to talk your way out of it. It's easy!
A tattoo is something I've never wanted - I hate the thought of a permanent mark that I can't get rid of (or that would be painful & expensive to get rid of!)
Rachel's tattoo does look very nice though!
I felt the same way until recently...at 50 I changed my mind. For some reason it seems important to me to get one just like hers.She has had it for four years now and I guess I just like the thought of what it is. I am afraid of the pain of it though.
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