My wife’s brother was in hospice care towards the end of a long battle with cancer. When Doris and her sister-in-law first saw the nurse assigned to him—spiked, multi-colored hair, body piercings and tattoos up and down both arms—they were not sure they wanted this particular person looking after their loved one. After watching her in action, their impressions began to change.The next day one of the other nurses asked them if Bronte’ (the hospice nurse) had told them about her tattoos. She had not, so the nurse said to them, “Let me tell you.” She told them that Bronte’, originally from Scotland, had worked in an Australian AID’S hospice before coming to America. While there one of her patients said to her, “I know I am going to die soon, and when I do, no one will know, no one will care and no one will remember.
That evening Bronte’ went out and got her first tattoo. She approached that AID’S patient the next day, pointed to the freshly engraved tattoo on her arm and said to him, “Do you see this tattoo? It is for you. Every time I look at this tattoo I will think of you. Every time I touch this tattoo I will remember you. I care! You will never be forgotten.” And now tattoos are lined up and down her arms—the tattoos of compassion. The Body of Christ must line itself with the invisible tattoos of compassion.
William Sloan Coffin Writes: "The opposite of love is not hatred but fear. 'Perfect love casts out fear.' Nothing scares me like scared people; for while love seeks the truth, fear seeks safety, the safety so frequently found in dogmatic certainty, in pitiless intolerance."
"I think the love of Jesus is indeed the plumb line by which everything is to be measured. And while laws may be more rigid, love is more demanding, for love insists on motivation and goes between around, and way beyond all laws."
God help us!
Commissioner Joe Noland (R)
4 comments:
A powerful story Commissioner...
Here in the UK there are countless reality TV programs focusing on body piercing and tattoos; Miami Ink, London Ink, Hollywood Ink, etc. I'm told that tattoos are a costly investment in beautifying the body. Many suffer the discomfort of being tattooed in memory of, or as a tribute to a loved one.
None though are as costly and represent any greater love than that which Jesus suffered as the piercing and striped signs that spell your name and mine, were added at Calvary.
The wounds of Christ are open, sinner they were made for thee (and me) - there for refuge flee... Evangeline Booth
Isaiah 49:16 Behold, I have carved you on the palms of My hands
Arise, my soul, arise; shake off thy guilty fears;
The bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears:
Before the throne my surety stands,
Before the throne my surety stands,
My name is written on His hands.
Charles Wesley
Former USA East
Active Exeter Temple, UK
Commissioner,
What a challenge your simple and yet profound words have brought. How quick we are to judge and so very often wrongly.
I recall a Corps Officer friend sharing a humorous but nevertheless true story.
A regular attender to her Corps Parent and Toddler Group was a Mum with spiked hair, tattoos and body piercings. She had also started to attend an Alpha group at the Corps, and was asking very searching and demanding questions. One day just before Easter she dashed into the Parent and Toddler Group just as they were about to close. People commented on her lateness and asked why. Then the CO came out and this young women called to her: 'Here ... the Jesus fella is a God send' 'How do you mean?' asked the Officer ... 'Well you see, I knew something was going to hurt badly today and so I prayed that Jesus would help me through it and help me cope with the pain.' 'What has happened'? asked the Officer. 'I have just had my nipple pierced and it didn't hurt half as much as I thought it would'. Somewhat bemused the Officer gave a wry smile not sure what to say. A few days later on Easter Sunday morning during the Corps celebration that young Mum discovered for herself just what a God send Jesus is! Hallelujah!
Thank you for writing for us and challenging us through your words. Please do so again, soon!
Former UKT
I always love these type stories; ordinary people demonstrating extraordinary willingness to enter into, and in a symbolic way share in the suffering of those they serve. Great story for next week's intro to my sermon.
Active USA Central
Thank you for sharing that powerful story.
Having worked in a Hospice I know that it takes very special people to take care of the dying and their families.
It is so easy to 'judge' others and how quick we are to not even give them a 'second' chance.
As an organisation we should express true compassion for others regardless of how they look, what they have done and if we are doubtful as to what we should do or how we should act, we should think WHAT WOULD JESUS DO!!!
(Former, UKT)
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