4 December | Youth
«I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts.» Hebrews 8:10
God appreciates art. With His creative genius, He is the inventor of beauty and the ultimate Master of good taste. His creation is beautiful and pure. Unfortunately, this is not the reality of many human artistic productions. No art is neutral. Aesthetics and ethics go together. Artists and works of art convey messages. And, of course, God also has something to say through His works of art, the greatest of which –do not forget!– is you. Therefore, today I want to ask you: If you were a billboard for God, what would you announce to the world?
When I (Júlio) met Pablo, he was already converted. Before, however, he had been a young rebel, part of a group of drug traffickers in Mexico, who caused terror wherever he went. The gun in his hand, the fact that he belonged to a gang and the tattoos on his body gave him a feeling of value and an exciting sense of power. I asked: “And today, do you see any advantage in your tattoos?” He told me, “None, except for one thing. Because of them, it is easier for me than for you to enter certain places and preach the gospel.” It is true. God can use even our past mistakes for His glory.
About four thousand years ago, even mummies were tattooed! The Egyptians used tattoos in sacred rituals. In Ancient Greece, they could indicate slaves as belonging to a specific master. In England, in 1879, they were used to identify criminals. In 787, the Pope banned them. In the recent past, however, they became fashionable among the rich and, since the Second World War, they have been used to express devotion to a loved person. The Bible, in turn, never added anything to the text of Leviticus 19:28: “You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh [...] or tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord.” The text does not refer to surgeries or medical treatments, but it could well apply to self-mutilation and tattoos, two customs that say a lot about someone's beliefs and identity.
God is interested in tattooing you inside your chest, not on your skin. He wants to engrave His name on your heart. He wants you to belong, inside and out, to Him, without reservations or restrictions. How about leaving some of your old convictions behind, like Pablo, and fully accepting God's plan for you?