I woke up this morning, got ready for work, shuttled my little boys to preschool and headed for my office. Just as I was getting into my car I noticed this:
One of my kids had decided to brand me this morning before I woke up. The sneaky little dude.
Old Nathan would have washed it off so I could look professional. After all, I am supposed to teach college students how to speak in a professional environment. This Nathan, the one I am today is leaving it there all day.
I’m not a tattoo guy and I never will be. I have some friends who are tattoo people. They have stories for all of their ink. I have a story for my ink too. The story of my ink is love.
My son loves me. Heck, maybe Jamie did it—but I know she loves me. How do you think we had so many kids?
My son loves daddy and he left me a reminder on my arm that will be there all day long. I might leave it all week. Because love marks us.
When we have been touched by love. By real love. It changes something about us.
Those of us who follow Jesus get really enthusiastic about it sometimes. I think that is fantastic. We should be excited about such big love at work in our lives. We should relish in the way it marks our life. We should never been ashamed, embarrassed, or afraid to show off the artistic beauty of grace to those we find in close proximity.
When I was in high school we all wore these bracelets all the time that said, "WWJD". It was an acronym for a great question: What Would Jesus Do? I think when it started it was meant to remind us to think through our decisions—but, at least for many of the people I knew who wore them, it became more a fashion piece than a guiding principle.
I don't want the mark love leaves on me to be fashionable. I'm not trying to show it off like a shiny new toy. I just want to revel in the truth that love is changing, challenging, and growing me. I think when we're at our best in the love of Christ we don't have to make a huge deal about it because the way we love everyone else in turn makes a huger deal about it. God's love at work in you, and the impact you make in the lives of those you come into daily contact with, is a bigger statement than most of our statements. We don't have to always say it or show it. We can just do it. We can live it.
The breath in our lungs is a reminder of God's grace on us. The gravity that glues us to the ground is like a divine embrace. The hope we can know and feel and live shines on us as sure as a sunrise. Let love be your reminder. Wear that. Share it everywhere you can.