Body Art and the Zen of Commitment

by john o'keefe

What is it to be committed?  I mean, I hear people all the time tell me how they are “committed” to a particular topic, or to a particular stance, or a particular issue.  But I still wonder what it all means?  Are they really committed?  No, really are they?  Are they truly committed?  Is their commitment so deep it is a core values to their lives, or is it a passing fancy?   If given the opportunity would they move their commitment to another stance?  What would move someone out of one commitment and into another?  I remember when I was a kid, a friend’s father once said, “a chicken is dedicated to giving you a good breakfast, but a pig is committed to the breakfast.”  What did that mean to me as a kid?  It changed my life and gave me insight into the world around me, and my own personal level of commitment.  I came to understand that the chicken is willing to give the cost of her egg; which is truly no cost to the chicken.  The pig, on the other hand, must give their life for the breakfast; now, that is true commitment.

In my mind, it is easiest to see the levels of commitment based on the realm of body art.  I know, for some this may seem silly, but for me it brings it all together in an easy to understand reality. 

Commitment Levels:

I see four levels of people and their respective level of commitment that shape our world today.  The first is the “non-commitment” level.  I have always found this to be the most interesting starting point when we speak of commitment.  The reality of the situation is this, non-commitment is actually commitment – only it is commitment to doing noting.  If you are actually not committing to a particular stance you are actually committing to something else – no one actually is committed to no cause, it’s is just that your cause might be that you are willing to do nothing and help no one.

People who are non-committed to anything are actually ignoring the world around them.  They do not desire to get involved, because that would mean they would have to get off the couch and actually get dirty in helping someone.  These are people who go through life centered on themselves – they, if you desire, are committed to themselves and no one else.  What I find fascinating about these people is that they are the ones who scream the loudest about those who get the tattoo. 

Second, these are the “face painters.”  Ever been to a fair where they offer face painting?  You can go and they will draw little designs on your face or arms.  Usually it is a cute little heart of some easily drawn flower; nothing hard, nothing to complicated.  It’s fun, it’s fashionable and it can be washed off the minute you get home – as your mother would remind you.

At this level commitment is exciting and can seem like you are truly getting involved in the process – but it’s make-up and grease paint.  These are the people who desire to talk about the problems and then say things like, “I wish they would do something about all this….” They never seem to get the point that “they” are the “they” “they” are talking about.  Their level of commitment is to complain about what others are not doing, and to always second-guess those who are doing.  These are the people who were told when they got home from the fair, “you will need to wash that off before you go to bed.  Remember you have school tomorrow and we don’t want people to think bad of you for having that all over your face.” 

Third, these are the “stick-on tattoo-ers.”  When I was a kid, I would spend all my change tying to get a cool stick-on tattoo from one of those quarter machines.  I wanted one bad.  It would drive my mother crazy when she was done with shopping for all her change.  She actually started to pick stores that did not have the machines that sold the tattoos so she would not have to give my brothers and me all her quarters. And hear all the fighting about who got the coolest tattoo.  At this level, while it costs more and takes a little longer then face painting, it still wipes off and is not a true commitment.

People at this level of commitment are the ones wanting to write a check, and then say to others how committed they are to solving a problem of social value.   People try hard not to get too committed to many different activities and they are not willing to get dirty.  They desire to send a check and then tell everyone how they are helping to solve the problem.  They want to look cool, but they just don’t want it to be “too” committing.

The forth lever is the get down and dirt level, I call it “the tattooed.”  These are people who are willing to spare no expense, endure all pain and take the time needed to solve a social problem.  Unlike the other levels, which are at some level “impulse purchases,” this level requires that you make a long-term commitment to a particular design.  A good tattoo artist would want you to make sure that what you are getting is truly want you want and truly fits who you are.

People who make a commitment at this level are truly committed to making changes in the world around them.  They believe that with a little hard work, blood, sweat and tears life can change for many people.  For example, they believe that hunger can be solved if we all just take the time to eat with the hungry.  When you make a sandwich, make two and share – sure, it cost more for you to do this and it will require that you take the sandwich to the person in need – but then that is what jesus did.

What is your Zen of commitment?

Where do you stand?  A watcher?  A face painter?  A stick-on tattoo-er?  A tattooed?  Where are you?  If given the opportunity to have the phrase “I love Jesus” placed on your body, what would you do?  Would you say “No” and then give some reason why?  It also does not matter what the reason is, the important thing is that you said  “No.”  Would you take a pen and write it on your arm?  Then when you got home, would you wash it off?   Would you buy a temp-tattoo and place it on your shoulder?  Letting it fade as time passes?  Would you take your savings and run down to the local tattoo artist and spend the time and money and have it tattooed on your body?  Which would you do?  What is your level of commitment?

Before you select a response, before you committee to a “commitment,” be sure you are secure in your choice.  Be in prayer and let God be your guide and what you will find is that God is calling you to get committed.   God wants you to be tattooed and to help others get tattooed.  Jesus took it upon himself to eat with the sinners and to care for those who were outside the social norms of the society, why don’t we?  I find it interesting that Jesus never eat with the socially powerful, or the leadership of any social groups.  Jesus took it to the people, and he did without wondering what others thought, or how others acted towards him.  Jesus was tattooed.  While we would get a tattoo that said, “I Love Jesus,” Jesus got one that says, “I Love Humanity.”

John O’Keefe is the founder of www.ginkworld.net.  John sees a desperate need for the church as a whole to change and reach a new people for Christ.  He is straightforward, honest and calls it the way it he sees it.  John is a graduate of Drew and has been a Senior Pastor and Church Planter

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