My church now is full of all kinds of people including many with tattoos and piercings and the ones I have met are so much more amazing in spirit and life with God than the people i knew at my old church who were always in some suit and skirt below the knees. Conservative dressing was mandatory or you were literally ostracized there. No matter how conservative I dressed for my size (I never ever showed skin), I was always told to cover more in layers because I have been told that I am "blessed" with my figure. It really sucked because I was kept from serving for wearing my size as I refuse looking like a potato sack. I worked in an executive offices and knew how to dress just beautifully. I was being told to wear sizes bigger to not draw attention. I was to literally hide under a bushel. It really hurt me that people were in the way of my heart to serve God and why should I want to dress just the same as the fronting people merely for acceptance? There is no need for people approval to serve God, only God's approval.
Today, at my new church, modesty is preached and that we are a child of God and we reflect Jesus in ALL we do. But it is more stressed that we are individually unique and created for God's purpose. With that said, what is our purpose in God? Will a tattooed unbeliever be more likely to hear about Jesus from a suited up to the neck and skirt to the floor person or one like him tattooed up sharing the word of Christ? Other churches are amazed in how eclectic our crowd "looks." We teach the same hardcore biblical principals as the old church here too but why is this church able to reach a whole portion of population that other churches are not able to. And the answer is not "Oh they must water down the BIBLE or gospel." I have heard my old church say that and It is farthest from the truth.
I have learned that God has a purpose in all of us regardless of how we look. Jesus talked down about the Pharisees looking holy and praying on the streets all loud for show but hearts are filthy. Yes it is the heart. If your heart is pure for God, pray about it, embrace how he uniquely made you and use it to honor him. If it doesn't counter his purpose in your life....then do it. If his purpose for you was to reach a particular group, a tattoo may counter that purpose for your life. You will be known by others by your fruits and your fruits is a reflection of what is in your heart. Do accordingly.
Man looks on the outside while God looks in the heart. Christian is Christ-like. We never knew how he looked but we did know his actions and his heart.
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