What is the deal with all of the body piercing nowadays? Are we so impressed with the Amazonian tribes in National Geographic that we want to emulate their bizarre treatment of the body? Will we soon be stretching our earlobes to the ground or taunting one another to stick large pipes through our lips? Is that the only thrill left in decorating the body? (And to think there are those who actually WANT to clone the human race.)

     This article is not about the moral implications of piercing our noses, lips, tongues and bellybuttons. I’m not sure I know what to say to those who want to jam metal objects through their organs and cartilages. If they want to make eating and sneezing a high-risk activity that is their business. I have a hard enough time living life as it is without the risk of metal objects clogging my air ways. And we all know what little value there would be in piercing my bellybutton with anything less than a 10 foot chain.

     The body piercing I’m concerned with is the kind that happens to our heart when we know we’re violating God’s will. What do we do when the needle of the word penetrates our conscience or when our mind is telling us we’re living contrary to God’s will? Are we as zealous and courageous for these kinds of changes as we are the radical changes of piercing our flesh? Do we understand that this kind of piercing is far more important than decorating our bodies to impress one another?

     God tells us He has written His word in such a way that it will pierce our hearts when we’re living contrary to it. This is why and how the Spirit revealed God’s will through the apostles (Jn. 16:7,8; Acts 2:37; 1 Cor. 2:9-16; Eph. 3:1-5). It was given for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16,17), to teach man God’s will (Titus 1:9). When this word is taught in its entirety, free from human opinion and ideology, it will cut to the heart those who violate it. The writer of Hebrews says it is sharper than any physical sword because it penetrates where even two-edged swords cannot: the heart, conscience and mind of man (Heb. 4:12). What other weapon is powerful enough to change man’s beliefs, convictions and ideals? What else can create in man a new character, fit for the kingdom of heaven, and free him from the debt of sin? Only the soul-piercing word of God. It’s how God communicates His will to man (Eph. 6:17; 1 Thes. 2:13), for salvation (Jas. 1:21; 1 Tim. 4:16) and spiritual maturity (1 Pet. 2:2; Eph. 4:13-15). We wouldn’t know God if it weren’t for the Bible!

     With all of the vain glory placed on body piercing, I hope we realize the extreme urgency of yielding to God’s word when it pierces our heart. It is God’s way of directing us (2 Tim. 2:15)! If we ignore the pain it causes, it will devastate us in more ways than a needle through our nose could ever do (Pro. 28:9; 2 Thes. 1:7,8; Rom. 10:1-3,21).

by Michael Thomas