I was a kid in the 80’s and a teenager in the early 90’s. I grew up skateboarding and listening to music that was hard and fast. All my “heroes” had tattoos. I wanted them too. I got my first at age 15 at a super sketchy shop that didn’t care. My next few in a garage at a guys house. By the time I was old enough to legally get them, I had probably 10 or so. All bad by the way. When I say bad, I mean subject matter. The quality of work was really good. And once I could go to shops at the age of 18, I got a few more. I got skulls and demons and the types of evil things that came with the scene I was in.
Then babies and marriage came. I married young with little money so all I had went to them. No cash for ink. At the age of 25 I got saved. I was a functioning alcoholic at the time. God worked that out though. I remember praying, “God, I’m gonna quit drinking for awhile, but you gotta give me something to do instead of drink or I won’t make it.”
And he did. With the help of a neighbor and a great youth pastor, I started a skate ministry at our church. We built ramps and rails. We had permission from the city to close down a public road every Wednesday night for the kids to skate. The rule was, you skate my ramps, you stay for the youth service. And they did with time. It started with about ten kids. Over the next three years, we hit numbers close to three hundred. God is good.
One thing that happened over and over was the kids commenting on my ink. It was still part of the skate culture. It was still a big part of the music they listened to.
Problem was, I hated most of my tattoos.
So I started down a path of covering up and getting laser treatment to cover my right arm. It took a year at roughly forty hours of chair time, but from wrist to armpit was now a sleeve that glorified God. So when the kids asked, they saw something positive. I could talk to them about what Jesus had done for me and wanted to do for them.
I got a bad one on my back covered next. There is the Holy Spirit descending like a dive with flames. It has my favorite scripture, Matthew 3:11 under it. “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.” I always loved that. It seems so tough.
I have spent the last year covering up a bunch of garbage on my legs. I have done traditional animals because that is what would work to cover up. They look good and allow conversation to flow. Plus, both knee caps are done. In the tattoo culture, those are one of the worst spots to do. So, it earns a bit of respect from inked out people and artists. This “Christian” is tough. Not what most people think about us.
If I could go back, I often wonder if I would ever get one at all. They have hurt me getting jobs. Twenty years ago, they were really frowned upon. They have scared some people and forced a lot of judgement towards me.
They have also helped me reach the people I’m supposed to talk too. So I think Jesus is ok with that.
–Jon Napoli
Thx for putting this out. Hope it helps spark conversation. Love ya
I loved reading this Jon! I like to see the tattoo “art” and colors…but I mostly like the stories behind them. And when they are tatts that can start a conversation about Jesus or point ones eye to Him…even better! Thanks for sharing!