I Dare You

 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.

2 Corinthians 8:7

In the month of April 2017, just after my 18th birthday, I decided to get 2 tattoos. Both of them reflected my relationship with Christ and His love for me at the time. However, I don’t think I realized what getting the tattoos would mean in the long run. My wrist tattoo says “Grace is greater” in beautiful, cursive writing and my foot tattoo says “I Love You” inscribed on the inside of an arrow. Both phrases are encouraging and true. I wanted to avoid sin when I got the tattoos and I prayed intently about the decision. I felt it was okay after much prayer and I decided to go ahead and get inked up.

Something to remember, the Lord NEVER ceases in answering prayers. It is almost 2 years later now and I am about to be 20 years old. My wrist tattoo has affected me in more ways than I can explain. I have gotten to share the gospel several times with its question seeking design. I have been challenged by many people about its meaning. But the greatest thing I have learned is what Grace really means. We make grace seem like some sort of seamless, harmless butterfly. We dress it in cursive, put it on computer stickers, sing it in songs, slap it on T-shirts, and tattoo it on our bodies. We make it out to be subtle and we numb its meaning. But, To be completely honest with you, Grace is one of the most difficult things I have ever come across. Don’t get me wrong, without grace I would not be a Christian. Without grace Christ would not have hung on that cross and cried,” Eloi, Eloi Lema Sabachthani!” in my place. But that is the point. Grace is getting what we do not deserve. Grace is not romantic or stunning. Grace is brutal and dirty and difficult and even bloody. Grace is laying down every ounce of your pathetic, earthly pride at the feet of a God who sent His son to die for you. Yes, you. He gave you that grace and now we are called to have grace upon grace for one another. Did you hear that? We are called to lay our lives down for one another as Christ did for us. We are called to give people what they do not deserve. We are called to love the people we DO NOT WANT TO LOVE AND DO THE THINGS WE DON’T WANT TO DO. If you think this is easy, you're kidding yourself. I have not yet fully figured out grace and I don’t think I ever will, until I get to heaven. But I know one thing, If you are sitting in a “hot tub” of grace, have fun climbing out. Ask Him to show you what grace really means in your life, I dare you.