I had the most amazing conversation today with a customer that God used in such a great way!  My customer pulled up and we did all the usual stuff, and as I handed him his money, I immediately noticed his very elaborate tattoo on his right arm…and I do mean elaborate!  Lots of customers have them, of course, but a lot are small, or there are so many on their bodies that none stand out.  This customer, however, only had the one, and it took up 2/3 of his arm.

After being told that his food was not quite ready yet, I felt compelled to ask about the tattoo. I don’t always do that, because some people are still rather defensive about those questions, but he was very nice and open.  And what a story he had to tell me!  The tattoo was of Jekyll and Hyde..literally.  Picture of Jekyll, a dividing line, and picture of Hyde.

When he showed it and I was able to look closer, it was indeed more exquisite and weird than I thought.  So of course, being me, I asked him was prompted him to get that, and his answer astounded me.  He said, and I quote, “that represents the two sides of me, and everyone else.  Not the good and evil thing, but just the different “selves” we portray to the world”.  He then explained for him it was like his professional self at work, and the mask he wears there, and the way he is different away from work in his real life.  He also said that he knows the conduct expected in society, and how that us not how most of us necessarily live in private.

Well my little nudge to ask him about it had just bloomed into a wonderful evangelism moment!  I exolained that to ME, it was a representation of my life before Christ and after, and of the fact that daily I (and every other true believer) struggle with my old nature and old desires!  He looked intrigued and said “really?” so I was able to further explain that Jesus gives us a new nature, but our old habits and patterns are still there, but we fight to let the new nature win.  Awesome!  And of course….I then had to quit.

Now, I am absolutely not writing this to boast about anything I did or said.  I am writing, however, to say this:  in these dark, dark days, with shootings and violence, lying, and other sin running rampant, there is still hope!  And WE are the agents of that hope.  There are so many days now when it seems we have no power to do anything to change our world, and it is so tempting to quit and give up.  ABD YET!!  God showed me again today that HE is still working, and that He is still saving anyone who will come!  AND that He can use an ordinary item..a tattoo..to plant a seed into an open heart..if His people will just continue to be alert to His nudging!  I am so grateful I was used today, and I am already praying to be used again tomorrow!  And may we all remember, that until that trumpet sounds, there is still hope for a lost and dying world!!