Walk by Faith...Marked with Christ

In 2007, after a wonderful summer working at camp, I got my first tattoo. It is on my right foot and is an Ichthys (Jesus fish) with a heart and a cross inside. It is on my foot to represent the way early Christians identified themselves to other Christians. They would use their foot to draw the shape of the Ichthys in the sand. So, on my foot I wear a sign of my faith.

Last fall I started wanting another tattoo and that started to materialize in January. I found a design and made an appointment for Wednesday, February 22nd. Some of you may recognize that date as Ash Wednesday. And others of you may recognize that date as the day I, along with other senior seminarians, found out our regional assignments.

So, with my forehead laden with ashes I went to get my tattoo. If you want to have an evangelism moment then go get a tattoo with an ashen cross on your forehead. It is quite the experience. After explaining the ashes on my forehead, the piercing artist at the studio, who just happened to be in the room when I was getting the tattoo responded, "Good, I was thinking you were in a cult." That was an experience I will not forget and one that will likely be used in a few sermons down the road.

My new tattoo is on my left foot. I guess I just like my feet, but it also has a greater significance. It is on my foot, because it refers to "walking." This tattoo is my confirmation verse: 2 Corinthians 5:7, which says, "Walk by faith and not by sight." It is in the form of an ambigram, which means it can be read one way and then from another view point it reads differently.

I couldn't think of a better time to get a new tattoo, especially the one I decided to get. It is so appropriate at this moment in life when I am stepping out into a new role, a new place, and a new chapter of life. And throughout this whole process I have had to walk by faith and not by sight.