Tuesday 22 December 2009

Luke bares his soul

It's not uncommon to find tattoos on rugby players. What's a little more unusual is finding rugby players who've painted their bodies with religious symbols.

New Bath Rugby signing Luke Watson has four tattoos. All represent his devout Christian faith. And it's clear that he thought deeply before receiving them.

One simply says 'faith'; another - 'Habakkuk 3:17' - refers to a favourite verse. Then there's a large cross on his bicep with the words ‘eternal freedom’ emblazoned on it.

And the most recent piece of body art is a crown. And it is this that Watson is most effusive about.

Describing its meaning, the South African says: “Every man is called to be a king. The world is very class-conscious and this reminds that every man in his own world, in his own right, is a king.

"He has been given the opportunity – the human right – to make decisions, he’s been given the human right to justice and the human right to be a ruler in his own world.

"We so quickly judge and classify people and we forget that they have a right to be a king in their own world.”

Of his 'eternal freedom' tattoo, he remarks: “For me that is what Christianity epitomises. God comes into your life and frees you from a sinful nature, from guilt, from condemnation, from being lost and hopeless.

"I was chatting to one of the coaches the other day and I said I don’t know how people without faith do it.

“I have had a pretty interesting and challenging life up to now and the only way I’ve made it through is by knowing that no matter what happens God has a plan."

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