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Bible, Christ, Christianity, God, Jesus, Religion and Spirituality
I am a sinner. This much is obvious to me, and probably to regular perusers of this blog, but now it is also obvious to my church. You see the other day I gave a notice in church. Yes that’s right folks, it’s all out in the open now! Did I mention that I did so while wearing a flat cap? And that I wore a short sleeve shirt revealing my small less than one-year old wrist tattoo?
Now I didn’t find out about my sin right away mind you. In fact I didn’t hear directly about it at all. No no no. I found out because somebody was so annoyed that they complained to somebody else, and then that got back to me. The joys of community.
When I left my job in the police I prayed that I would learn to handle conflict in the Christian realm much more effectively. I didn’t feel my police taught methods would be appropriate in the church setting although I certainly gained confidence in the arena of conflict. It appears when you pray to improve your character, you don’t instantly get your wish, but rather plenty of opportunities to practice. So the last two years have involved me having to man up and speak to people face to face more than ever before. But they also involved something else – more of me coming face to face with my own flaws than ever before too – usually by others pointing them out.
This latest episode first angered me, then saddened me with a little bit of perplexity sprinkled throughout. I was first angry at why someone wouldn’t just come and speak to me, then saddened by the same fact before wondering if I wasn’t actually as approachable as I always thought. And if I am to have the privilege of speaking into others lives then I must allow others the same privilege for me whether I think them right or wrong. Especially if I think them wrong.
So I have a plan. If someone tells me I shouldn’t wear my hat in church, or asks how I justify a tattoo, I’m not gonna ask them why none of the women at church wear hats, I am not going to ask them how they have the gall to shave their sideburns. I won’t tell them that they have condemned the innocent because they have not learnt what it means that God desires mercy not sacrifice. I won’t point out that there is a dying world that doesn’t care about hats and tattoos but desperately needs Jesus. Instead I will thank them for their courage in speaking up, and we will go from there. And next week I will get a tattoo…
of a hat on my forehead.
Luke 6:42 (emphasis mine) ‘How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.’
theaspirationalagnostic said:
I’m no biblical scholar, but did Jesus explicitly prohibit flat hats and tattoos? I wish he had stopped faffing around with that ‘be good to widows and orphans and the poor’ stuff and got more in to sartorial instructions. So much more important.
Nick said:
Brilliant! I don’t believe He commanded us to wear socks and sandals together either but many Christians do!
Serious though the real shame of this blog is that it will generate far more hits and comments than had I written one about widows and orphans. Which says a lot I think.
(For info: The reference to tattoos is found in leviticus 19 just before the verse that tells us not to cut our sideburns. The hat business is found in 1 Corinthians 11. Neither are commented on by Jesus.)
David said:
You shouldn’t wear your hat in church!
barrentoblessed said:
We can get so legalistic in how we “do church” that I fear we forget the message of Christ. We are to love Him first. Then, we are to love people…hats, tattoos, sideburns, and all!
Anthony Baker said:
I live in the South (southern United States). When it comes to men wearing hats in church, well, it’s not so much a legalistic thing as a cultural thing. Men aren’t supposed to wear hats inside, regardless where it is. If you wear one in church around here you are likely to be confronted, not talked about. It’s a big deal. As many see it, if one should take off their hat for the singing of the national anthem, then by golly it better come off for Amazing Grace.
When it comes to tattoos, feelings are mixed. I don’t have any and never will (I don’t care for them AND I hate needles). I don’t consider having them a sin, though. However, because of the stereotype that most of western society has been exposed to, I still have to remind myself that I don’t believe they are sinful or characteristic of rebellious bikers.
As for people talking about you behind your back, I not only have been there and have the t-shirt, but I have opened up my own line of designer clothing. There is always something being said about me which finally comes to my ears through a second or third-party “concerned church member” who says, “Brother Anthony, some people have been saying…” Makes me so mad I want to spit nails. But hey, that’s life.
Nick said:
Cheers Anthony! I guess it may be cultural for the older generation here, but you know what? If someone had come up and explained that – ‘Nick I don’t know if you know but some people get offended by your hat.’ or something I’d probably have taken it off!
I not a massive tattoo freak I have one and I may get one more but they will all have significance to me. I’m not a great fan of tattoos for the sake of it but it’s up to them. However I think you should make that smiley face you had painted on the back of your head a more permanent feature!!!
Maggie said:
Them and us… disastrous!
One body…Christ’s body… no amputees!
Nick said:
Hi Maggie, Thank you for your comment. I agree with you that a them and us attitude is disastrous, but I cannot see how you have connected that with the post or any of the comments.
If anything I would say the post is more about unity as One body does not involve some bits talking about the other bits behind their backs… what do you think?
Maggie said:
I think that’s what I said.
I was agreeing on the importance of unity and being non judgmental, and not cutting people off from the body for such things as hats and tatoos.
Hey-ho!
Nick said:
Yeah sorry Maggie. I think I was expecting some negative comments so I took yours the wrong way!
Jon Butler said:
Great post Mr Nick.
Often we like to take issue with others, and identify things about them that we don’t like or understand in order to think better of ourselves.
Or to put it another way; we like to point out the splinters people have in their eyes (though not always directly) so as to avoid/forget/ignore the whopping great big planks in our own eyes.
However I like your take better Nick. Learning to deal with conflict better and these trials a blessing from God to help shape and sculpt us more into his image.
For the record tattoos and hats rock. I have both.
Nick said:
Thank you Sir Jon. It has certainly made me think more about the judgements I make of other people!
I have seen at least one of your hats, but what tattoos do you have?
Jon Butler said:
I have two tattoos; my wife’s name on my back (just below my neck) and my daughter’s name on my left upper arm. Old English style font – not too big.
I like yours. Very tasteful and meaningful. Can’t see what the fuss was all about. Maybe they didn’t like your short sleeve shirt
Nick said:
That and I may have implied they weren’t normal during the notice…
Jon Butler said:
I infamously announced while giving church notices one week
“I’m not embarrassed about naked people. I see naked people all the time in my job. I’m not a doctor though” and then I stopped talking.
Nick said:
BRILLIANT!!
Paulo said:
Well Nick. Can open, worms all over. Good work. It’s amazing how concerned we can get about things when we have little else to worry about. During my Christian walk, I have been, complainer, complainee and go-between, having nothing better to worry about was the common denominator. My home church has recently gone through a major crisis and trivial complaints seem less prevalent..
Idle hands??
Nick said:
You might be on to something there. What a shame that it takes major crisis’s to sort out our priorities!
Funnily enough I would not normally wear a hat to preach in, but this morning I was told to give a notice with three seconds notice and had honestly forgotten I was wearing it!
It makes me wonder if people assume I’m doing it on purpose!
Mike said:
I think you should bring back the earring…
David said:
Not a good idea Mike. That earring was massive.
sugarpapercakes said:
I really feel for you. Coming to Christ in my late teens already with a tattoo, and a whole host of other things that made me not fit the traditional Christian ‘mould’. I was fortunate enough to join a church that wholeheartedly welcomed me & embraced who I was & not what colour I wore, etc! But I’ve met plenty of people who seem to think I’m a worse sinner than them because I have a tattoo. It’s just nonsense! How come we’re expected not to have tattoos, but we’re not frowned upon I’d we mix materials in our garments & don’t burn our house down if it has mildew for more than 7 days!?
And as for the hat….well. Would they have been equally offended by a wig?