Tattoos

It's quite interesting how specific subjects come up for discussion all at once.

In a previous post, I related how I am battling to get to grips with the legislation contained in Leviticus, and I need to do some research concerning its applicability. For instance, we no longer punish a couple caught in adultery by stoning them to death (although this IS an attractive option if you are one of the spouses involved!). Yet it's in the Bible!

Yesterday in my devotions, I was reading the verse in Leviticus 19:28 (NIV), which reads: "Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord". I never really gave this another thought until this morning, when out of the blue our Youth Pastor asked me, "What's your take on tattoos?"

I must confess that this is not a subject that I have particularly strong feelings about. I personally would never have one done myself, but only because I'm a total weenie with an extremely low pain threshold. While I wouldn't exactly advocate covering your body with the sort of "art" as pictured above, I think that the discreet cross that one of my Phase One colleagues has tattooed just above her ankle is in quite good taste. No doubt this opens up an avenue of witness for her, particularly among the youth.

So what, then, about this particular verse from Leviticus? Since I haven't gone into it any deeper, I can't give my views just yet. But as ministers we will be asked these kinds of questions, just as our Youth Pastor did. Are we ready for them? In my case, more often than not the answer is "no".