Tattoo

If you were to get a tattoo today, what would it be?? I think the answer to this question is so very telling of where people are at in their lives; what has impacted them, what they are feeling, who they want to be, and how they want to present themselves. I don't have a tattoo. But if I were to go out today and get one, I know what I would get. I would get the word 'grace' tattooed on my left wrist, in simple cursive, to serve as a constant reminder of this powerful force.

If I had asked this question two days ago, I'm not sure what my answer would have been. But today I know. The word 'grace' has taken on fresh meaning for me. The grace that Christ shows to me daily takes my breath away. Having this word on my wrist would serve as a gentle reminder that God is constantly extending His grace to me and that I in turn must extend that grace to others. I would have it on my left wrist because my heart is on the left side of my body and grace must be extended from somewhere deep inside. And it would be on my wrist, the part of Jesus' body that was pierced with nails so I could live.

The idea of grace amazes me. It is such a powerful concept and yet is so simple and humble. None of us would get through life without constant extensions of grace by Christ and by people. Grace says 'I got you covered' and is something we cannot earn or ever deserve. Yet even in our undeserving state, grace says 'I value you, I'll deal with the damage.' The sign that I have seen used for grace is a hand coming from behind the head and then moving above it, covering it. What a beautiful visual of grace.

At church last night the pastor talked about Communion as edible grace and I cannot get that out of my mind. Edible grace. What a gift. Something so tangible and real. Something I can taste and feel and smell. This picture, this idea of edible grace, inspired my reflections on the word 'grace.'

Grace is the bus driver letting you on the bus even though you don't have any money that day. Grace is a homeless man outside the grocery store who says 'God bless you' and 'have a great day' even when you give him nothing. Grace is, instead of highlighting all the negatives, highlighting the one beautiful thing she did that day. Grace is a friend who listens to my struggles and doesn't jump right in with opinions, but just listens. Grace is Jesus giving up His life so that I can have life. Grace is communion, a tangible representation of the grace Christ extended to me.

Having 'grace' tattooed on my wrist would be a tangible reminder of the importance of grace in my life. And so I ask again, what tattoo would you go out and get today?