Last week I had lunch with a friend of mine. We were early and the only ones in the restaurant. Our waitress, a young bubbly 22-year-old lady came over. Being the observant kind of guy I am, I inquired if all of those piercings she had hurt. She said, “No,” and began to tell me about them as well as a variety of colorful tattoos. I asked what one tattoo meant. She said, “Hold on tight.” She told me that it reminded her to hold on to what matters when life hurts. I asked what mattered to her and what did she hold on to. She said her family, her dog, and her friends. I mentioned that all of those things are temporal, and did she have anything that was transcendent to hold on to. She said, "No."
Of course, that led us into a discussion about God. She said she believed there was a god but did not feel comfortable about religion. She also told me she used to go to a Bible church but did not like the hypocrisy and religious stuff. I gave her a fist bump on that one but told her to focus on Jesus. When I asked her what her name was, she said it was Hannah. I commented that Hannah is a Bible name, which she knew. I asked her what her favorite book in the Bible was. She said it was the book of Esther. I told her that I bet Esther had markings, maybe even tattoos. She smiled and thought that might be true.
After my friend paid the bill for lunch, and we were leaving, I reminded Hannah that it was okay to run from hypocrisy and religion. But I told her to hold on to Jesus.
I imagine you know some people like Hannah; confused, uncertain, holding on to things that are good but not the best. Let me invite you to read Acts 17 and see how the Apostle Paul talked to those in the synagogue, those in the marketplace, and those on the hill of the philosophers, and told them about Jesus. There was plenty of religion and I bet some hypocrisy as well. But Paul told them all to hold on to Jesus. Who will you tell this week?
Redeem the time for the days are evil.
Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred | 
