Overcoming Forgetfulness & Tattoos

Some people have what seems to be a photographic memory. In other words, they see something once and they don’t forget it. I can tell you with certainty that I do not have that ability or gift. One of my many short-comings is that I forget people’s names. All my life it has been a weakness and, for a pastor, that’s not helpful. Tell me your name and in a minute or so I get fascinated with facts about what you’re saying and your name floats out of my conscience . I’ve tried all kinds of things to help, like word association, or repeating names three times quickly but nothing seems to work. This is where marriage can be very helpful.

Now you can tell my wife your name and she remembers.  When seeing new people she would whisper in my ear the person’s name so I didn’t feel foolish saying “Hi, what’s your name?” Not being able to call people by their first or last name can really become an issue.   Some people seem to naturally have the ability to remember such things when other can not.

So, the question you may be asking is what do I do to overcome my handicap? I write things down. Now, I may not look at what I have written again for some time or ever but for some reason simply writing what I have heard helps. When my wife Sue and I go to a church service we both type on our iPads through the sermon. If you look at Sue’s notes they are far more detailed and lengthy because she does nearly word for word typing.  On the other hand, I type sentences that are important or phrases that I want to remember. The fact that we write down the sermon allows us to get far more out it than most attendees. Sometimes I watch people listening and they seem to have this glassy stare.  Every once in a while they come alive with recognition of what the speaker is saying. The point I’m trying to make is when you hear something, write it down so you can internalize it.  If you also add speaking it out then you have three learning reinforcements that will help you retain what you feel is important.

This leads me to share about my latest tattoo. If someone would have asked me ten years ago if I would ever get a tattoo I probably would have said no. Today I have changed my mind, I hope and believe for the better.  We should never be afraid of evaluating what we think and why, even when it concerns things like tattoos. Sometimes we develop mindsets or traditions that were developed by some wrong idea or perception. Tattoos, for me, are a good example.

I got my first tattoo for two main reasons. First, I was looking for a way to open up conversations so I could share my faith with those younger than myself.  It seemed like many younger people have tattoos today and I wanted to make a connection. Secondly, I wanted to remind myself of a key scripture. The passage is out of the book of Hebrew.

Hebrews 6:18-19                                                                                                                                                                           

By two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, 

I designed this tattoo with an anchor and specifically the words “Anchor of my Soul” to start conversations about my soul and the need for an anchor. It also helps me remember that Christ is my sure anchor in time of difficulties. By the way, this tattoo has opened all kinds of conversations that usually start with the question, “Were you in the Navy”? From there I have had all kinds of conversation about how Jesus has changed my life.

My more recent tattoo is with a double-edged sword and a passage from the book of Hebrews as well.

Hebrews 4:12                                                                                                                                                         

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 

This tattoo is a means of opening a conversation with Christians who are struggling with the faith walk. All of us will face challenges in life, and sometimes those challenges are overwhelming. The unfortunate thing is that most Christians I have encountered are trying to be faithful to God by pure human strength. We, as children of God, were never meant to receive forgiveness and then be expected to be faithful to Jesus all by ourselves. We were meant to be in a partnership with God through the Holy Spirit where he leads and equips us to live out our faith.

This passage in Hebrews speaks about how the Holy Spirit uses the word of God like a double-edged sword to help us understand and discern what is spiritually based and what is soul based.  Scripture says that understanding the motives of the heart are difficult yet the Holy Spirit can use the Word in our minds to guide us. Here is the problem with the modern Christian. They don’t read the Word much so the Holy Spirit has less to work with to guide us through life. The end result is we rely on the Holy Spirit less and less as we get older in our faith.

The bottom line for me is that I choose to have tattoos because I want to witness to people and I want to remind myself daily of the importance of the word of God and the Holy Spirit in my life.  Today I read about how a very famous pastor walked away from his faith and no longer calls himself a Christian. You may ask how this is possible?  Perhaps this man was learning the scripture and trying to sort it out in his own life without the help of the Holy Spirit. Remember what the apostle Paul said about scripture without the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:6      

Who has made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

We were never meant to try to live out the Christian life by learning all kinds of rules and laws, even if they come from the Bible. How many religious people do we all know who are mean-spirited and angry at the world and yet can quote scripture easily?  The world doesn’t need more pharisees, it needs more Spirit led children of God who fill their soul with the word of God even to the point of tattooing their arms in order to give the Holy Spirit the tool set to lead and empower us.

Questions:

1) What do you do to remind yourself of what God said? If the Word is not in your soul the enemy is.

2) What tool do you use to remind yourself every day that Jesus is Lord? If nothing, is he your Lord?

We all need to remember that both the scriptures and the Holy Spirit are vital in this life.

Pastor Dale