Love me or Hate me, Take me or Leave
me
Kristopher S. Shoemaker
R. Yehudah “Tochukwu” ben Shomeyr
Guess I was
born to be an outcast and that’s okay. I wouldn’t change that for anything.
Even with all the negativity and criticism coming at me from multiple fronts,
from secular, Christian, Jewish and Messianic circles. Persecution from secular
sources is a given, Yeshua said we would be hated, so when I get the business
from the world it doesn’t really bother me. Even as a Christian I was different
from the majority and I grew a though skin real quick and learned to stand up
for myself against the Protestant Evangelicals. As a Messianic I pretty much
walked the line, became a Rabbi and tried to meet the demands of expression
projected upon me from the community, but honestly, though I was happy in the
Torah and happy in Messiah I was miserable in the community and wanted to erase
the first decade I began my Messianic walk. I felt all eyes upon me and the
demand to meet the various expectations unspoken, yet nonetheless put upon me
by the community. Hiding the real me, editing and doctoring my online posts and
photos, being a downright poser, just to make others happy and keep me from a
repeat of the confrontations and grief I experienced in Christianity.
Then I just
got tired of denying and supressing who God created and called me to be. I took
a risk and posted one of my tattoos on social media and quickly discovered who
my real friends and family were and who the Messianic Pharisees with stones
were in hand, cocked and ready to throw. At least I got to clean up my “friends”
list.
Some concerned brothers and sisters saw my tats, 6 gauge
holes in my lobes and my friendly mutton chops and after dispelling the
supposed Torah prohibitions against such things (http://www.abrahamsdescendants.com/tattoos.html)
others said that it’s not what Yeshua would do, so they wouldn’t do it and
advise that I shouldn’t do it.
Yeah, likely so, but I’m not Yeshua. I mean, I get the whole,
“What would Jesus do?” or “Do what Yeshua Did” thing, sure, that’s talking
about Torah Obedience. I take no issue with that, I’m down with that. But on
the human side of Messiah Yeshua, He had a personality with character, tastes,
and preferences and so, would Yeshua wear a Rolex? Likely not, but that doesn’t
mean that it’s wrong. Would Yeshua marry a pagan temple prostitute and have
children by her like the Prophet Hosea did and was actually called by God to do?
Or would He walk about naked for days as one of the other prophets had done? No,
because He wasn’t called to do those things. Would He get inked or piercings?
Probably not, not because it was “wrong” per se, but because that wasn’t His
personality type or calling. We’re all of YHWH’s, we’re all disciples of
Messiah Yeshua but we’re not all called to have the same personality, likes or
dislikes. We’re not all called to reach and minister to the same group, culture
or community. Not everyone can reach a redneck; I know I couldn’t, at least not
very effectively. Not everyone can reach a gangbanger, you got me there too,
but I can reach those sporting tattoos and piercings and into hard music. I can
even reach sci-fi and comic book geeks because I am one. But not everyone, due
to personality, likes and dislikes is equipped and can reach who I can reach
and vice versa. That’s okay; it’s supposed to be that way. God doesn’t expect
us to all be carbon copies of one another or be robots. The universal command
of Torah and the Moral Absolutes have enough wiggle room for all of us to be
our God ordained and uniquely called selves (I Cor. 9:19-23).
There was a time I doubted if I should have my ears pierced.
Twice this happened to me, as Torah says by two or three witnesses let
everything be established. I lost a screw on ball to one of my earrings and was
unable to wear it. It’s such a tiny piece of metal and if you do not see where
it falls it’s nearly impossible to find it. Both times this happened to me.
Once while in Kentucky and leaving the next day for Ohio. I prayed, “LORD, if
it be Your will let me find that ball to my earring.” I searched and searched but
didn’t find it and forgot about it. Went to Ohio came back to Kentucky and
found it in an inflatable mattress I deflated and took with me there and back! What
are the odds!? Transported and lugged around two states and never lost or
dropped it in all that moving around. It was safe in the folds of the deflated
mattress! Second time I was at my sister’s house and lost it, the day I would
pack up and go to my nephew’s house. I prayed then too. Well, I found it when I
got to my nephews, somewhere in the bundle of my clothes. This taught me that
God cares about the smallest details of your life and confirms your calling and
personality.
So take me or leave me, love me or hate me, I’m going to unapologetically
be who God has called and created me to be despite what others may say or
think. I refuse to be a people pleaser and do what others expect me to do. Life’s
way too short to deny who you are and be miserable.
