​Leviticus 19 includes other laws, such as the verse preceding it, which states: “You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard.” Why do we never hear anyone calling it a sin for a Christian man to trim his beard?

It’s important to understand that these laws were given for a purpose, so that the Hebrews would stand out as different from the cultures around them, as God’s chosen people. Through them, God would reveal Himself to the whole world. Under the law, forgiveness of sins could only be achieved through the shedding of blood in animal sacrifice. When Jesus died on the cross, He fulfilled the Law and was the sacrificial lamb for all of humanity who choose to believe in Him. (John 3:16).

After Jesus’s death, resurrection, and ascension, his disciples shared this message to the Jews and to the people groups throughout the known world. Even among his disciples, however, there was some confusion about what parts of the Law carried over. Acts 15 tells us that “Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: ‘Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.’” (If you don’t know what circumcision is, I’ll let you look it up for yourself.)

An assembly of elders and apostles considered the question and the Apostle Peter told them, “God did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are…  It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.”

The Apostle Paul taught in Romans 3:28 – 30, “For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.”
If we put our faith in the work of Jesus Christ, we are not under the Law, but under Grace. John 8:36 says “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” To clarify, we are free from the consequences of sin (eternity in Hell) through our faith in Jesus Christ, as well as from the requirements of the Law.  

Paul addressed this concept in I Corinthians 10:23. “’I have the right to do anything,’ you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—but not everything is constructive.” If something falls outside of direct teaching in the Bible, which is the final authority on morality, then we must personally evaluate if what we wish to do is beneficial and constructive. (See also Romans 14.) If you claim to be a follower of Christ, give thoughtful consideration before you tattoo your body, but don’t fall into the trap of legalism.

2 Corinthians 3 and Matthew 5 both address the issue of obeying the letter of the law without obeying the spirit of it. 2 Corinthians 3:17 says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” And in Galatians 5, Paul writes, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” But he issues a word of warning: “Only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
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Another common arguments Christians have against tattoos is that as followers of Christ, we should look different than the world. Romans 12: 2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The pattern of the world refers to pagan practices and mindsets, embracing things in the culture that are counter to the teachings of Christ. When it comes to outward appearance, the only people I know who look different from the world are Mennonites and Amish. During biblical times, tattoos were a way of identifying with false gods such as Molech, Asherah, or Baal. In current society, tattoos are body art, plain and simple. We can have something tattooed on us that means something evil, means nothing at all, or that means something profound.

So, yeah, I told you I had carefully thought it through and searched the Word of God! And for the record, I also think it’s lovely artwork and it brings me joy, both in its symbolism and as a thing of beauty.

Do I plan on getting another tattoo in the future?

Well, yes. Yes, I do.
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(Also see: Romans 14, Matthew 15:11, I Samuel 16:7)

For folks local to the Eastern Shore, you might be familiar with the old Wye Oak Tree and its history. If not, let me educate you.

I love to bring attention to local historical sites in my novels, and in book 3 of the Ridgely Rails Legacy, there is a brief scene where Gloria takes her camera to photograph the Wye Oak in 1947. From 1941 until it's demise in 2002, the Wye Oak was the largest white oak in the United States. In 1939, the Maryland General Assembly purchased the tree and established the Wye Oak State Park. 

​The Wye Oak was believed to be over 460 years old at the time of its destruction during a severe thunderstorm on June 6, 2002. It measured 31 feet 10 inches (970 cm) in circumference of the trunk at breast height, 96 feet (29 m) high, with a crown spread of 119 feet (36 m). It is believed that the acorn that became the oak germinated around the year 1540. The Wye Oak was still bearing a maturing crop of acorns when it was toppled.