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Some years ago, my son called me on a Sunday morning and asked if he could go to church with us. Emphatically, I said, “Yes!!” I could barely hear him on the phone as he whispered, “What should I wear?” In the most loving way I could, I responded, “Whatever you want to wear. It doesn’t matter as long as you go to church with me.” You see, my son wasn’t saved and he would never go to church with me when I asked. He had long hair, a scruffy beard and tattoos all the way down his arms, even on his fingers.He rode to church with us that Sunday, it was a day I’ll never forget. He was wearing a long-sleeved button-down shirt to cover his tattoos because of the shame that church people had made him feel.As my husband parked the car, the Lord spoke to me and said, “When you go in, make sure your son sits between you and your best friend.” Although I was a little puzzled at why the Lord would give me such instructions, I didn’t question Him. When we sat down, my son was beside her and, immediately she starting loving on him the way she loves on everyone. She told him how awesome his tattoos were and asked who did them. When he told her that he had done them, she gasped and made him feel even more at ease as she told him what a wonderful artist he was. As the service started with the praise and worship, I heard the Lord speak to me again. “Today, your son will be saved. When the preacher goes to the pulpit, your son will go down and be saved.” I immediately started crying uncontrollably. I knew the Lord was about to answer years and years of pleading and praying for my son. When the preacher stepped behind the pulpit, he said, “There is a young man here today that the Lord is speaking to. He wants you to do business with Him right now. You need to come to the altar now!” I felt my son nudge me so he could get out of the pew. I grabbed my husband’s arm and we moved out of his way. This mama couldn’t even go to the altar with him. The isle was as far as I could make it. All I could do was praise my sweet, sweet Lord for answering years and years of prayers. That day, my husband, my friend and the preacher led my son to the Lord. That day, his name was written in The Lamb’s Book of Life. That day, all of heaven rejoiced. That day, I heard and I saw the Lord at work. I will eternally be grateful for a dear, dear friend that did not judge my son for the tattoos on his skin or the clothes he was wearing or the length of his hair but instead showed him the love of God that he had been searching for.PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not make people coming to church feel shame for what they are wearing, for the tattoos that they have, for the piercings they have or anything else that YOU deem as inappropriate. The Lord sees them. You don’t know how long a mama or grandma or daddy or granddaddy or friend or someone else has been praying for their salvation. The words you say can either draw them near to the Lord or push them away. I would hate to be the one who pushed someone away from the Lord because of the way I felt about how their appearance was. When God does a work on their heart, I promise you that you will see everything about them change. Let God do what He does! Your job is to love, not to condemn. If a prostitute comes in the church, she’s probably going to dress like a prostitute until the Lord touches her and changes her. If a drunkard walks in the church, they may smell like alcohol until the Lord touches them and changes them. If a drug addict walks in the church, he or she may be high on drugs. Sinners are probably going to be living in sin when they walk in the church. Just love them to Jesus. I’m not saying you have to condone anything that is not of God, but you better watch how you treat them. The Lord sees and hears you!!Writer unknown