The conversation in the station next to us was fascinating. Seems like the lady’s hair stylist had shown up with a rather large tattoo on the back of her neck. It was just too much for the customer who stated she thought it was “gross” and just didn’t understand this generation wanting tatoos all over their bodies. She left rolling her eyes.
That’s when my stylist, a 30-year-old man and former pro-baseball player, began talking to me about his tattoos. He said he had a few but there wasn’t any thing or any symbol that he thought he would want to remember all of his life. That’s when I told him about our son’s tattoo. When Jonathan was in college he went to Italy on a study-abroad program. While there he was impressed with the sacred symbolism of old. Being an artist, he sketched out the symbol for the Holy Trinity, took it to a street vendor and had the symbol tattooed on his leg just above the ankle. When he came home, he explained to us that the symbol of the triune God was the only thing he knew for certain he would want tattooed on his body for the rest of his life.
When I told Ross this he said, “I have no idea what the Trinity even is. I just know that the Catholics talk about it and the Muslims don’t agree.”
I hate to admit it, but I couldn’t believe that he had no idea what the Trinity is. He grew up in Sunday School, for goodness sake. I asked him, “Would you like for me to explain it to you?” He said yes, and I had the chance to tell him of the mystery and truth of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. And then I was able to tell him that understanding that Jesus was both fully man and fully God is critical and is what makes Christianity unique. Understanding the person of Christ makes all the difference in the world.
Great truth makes for a great tattoo.
(Photo by 1 fave, shared via Flickr)
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