Tattooed

Have you ever thought about getting a tattoo?  Lots of people have them.  When my cousin was 16 he got a large tattoo on his forearm of the Grim Reaper - scythe and all - holding a flaming world in his hands.  Let me tell you, that artistic statement will be with him forever.

How would you like to be stuck with the tattoo in the pic above?  Take a closer look and you'll know how bad it really is.

Like it or not, tattoos make a statement on our body that will be with us forever - even when we get old and wrinkly.  A lot of folks have taken to getting Christian tattoos.  A cross, the fish, the face of Jesus - you name it, folks have inked it on their body.

I have to admit, these make more sense to me then getting a butterfly on your big toe or your crushes name tattooed on your butt.

I really love the concept of getting a word tattooed.  As a writer, I love words.  I love the words that Christians tattoo on themselves - especially the meaning behind the words.  Some Christians tattoo words such as "Grace, Forgiven, Love, Jesus, Repent, etc."

I've actually been thinking about getting a tattoo for a while.  I know exactly which word I would choose.

In many of his letters Paul begins his introduction stating "I, Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ...."  Depending on your translation Bondservant may also be translated as Slave, or Servant.  So what is Paul saying?  What does it mean to be a Bondservant of Christ?

The greek word that is used is Doulos.

According to my Bible Commentary Doulos is a slave, who has been freed by his master, but out of love chooses to serve still.

How beautiful is that?  The master has said to his slave "You are free to go."

The slave, however, says "No, I don't want to go.  I'm staying."

That's our Christian life, isn't it?  Jesus has set us free from our sin.  Because of that act we love Him so much that we choose to serve.

In Galatians I think Paul is speaking directly to the human condition:

For do I now persuade men, or God?  Or do I seek to please men?  For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
-Galatians 1:10

To be a Doulos we need to turn away from the world - from trying to live in the world and seek the pleasures from the world - and seek after God.

Christ has freed us.  Will you choose to serve Him still?

If I were to get a tattoo it would be the word Doulos.  What would yours say, and why?