Christian R&B singer Monica Brown, known simply as Monica, used to struggle with depression. But after getting a Jesus Christ tattoo on her arm, Monica said her past fears went away and she learned how to strengthen her faith.
Monica, 36, revealed to the ladies of the daytime talk show "The Real" that it was important for her to get a Jesus ink even though her mother didn't like the idea.
"My mom said, 'You know Jesus, you don't need to look at him every day,'" she shared. "But I wanted to look at Him every day because there was a time when I would wake up and I didn't even know why my eyes were even opening. I'm like, 'Just let me go back to sleep, make the pain go away.'"
But after getting the tattoo, Monica said she was constantly reminded of her deep Christian faith. Instead of hiding away from the pain, she learned how to confront it.
"I would look at my arms, even when I showered, and I would get this level of strength that I couldn't explain to other people," she said. "I wear it proudly at this point now."
One of "The Real" co-hosts Loni Love applauded Monica for getting the tattoo. While not all Christians approve of getting tattoos, Love said people should refrain from judging.
She acknowledged that Leviticus 19:28 in the Bible says, "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD."
But Love said Bible scholars told her that that Bible verse actually referred to rituals of the dead. "So that's what that meant. The thing is, times change. So as times change people and the things that happen actually change," she said.
"So before you judge somebody because of something they have on their body, maybe you should ask them what does that mean to you," Love said. "Maybe you could understand it a little more."
