Scars come in all sizes and shapes. Some are quite visible; some are buried deep within. Why, you might ask, are you thinking of scars. Well, it’s quite simple; I have a six to eight inch fresh scar on my leg from my recent knee replacement. When I look at it, I know my surgeon is a great one, but I’m glad he isn’t my carpenter. He said it would be two to three inches long. He either has no idea of measurements or things were more complicated than he thought. Regardless of its length, I smile when I look at it or show it off to friends because it makes me know how well my God has seen me through one more traumatic happening. And yes, I do like to show it off.
This reminds me of the time shortly after my husband Steve had undergone heart bypass surgery. Our deacon chairman, who was one of Steve’s closest friends, had his bypass within a week or two of Steve’s. One of our first eat-outs after their surgeries was at Red Lobster. The waiter asked all the detail questions. “Would you like butter and sour cream on your potato,” he asked the two men.
In unison, we wives answered for them. “No, they’ll take them plain.”
“Salad dressing?”
Again we said, “Only fat free.”
“Fried or baked fish?”
We answered for them again, “Baked.”
The waiter was a bit perplexed, so our guys explained they both had recently had heart surgery and we were helping them enforce their fat-free diets.
Before we could say no, these reasonably dignified gentlemen were pulling up their shirts to show him their scars. Why do we feel the urge to show off these unsightly reminders of suffering?
I recently asked some friends for their take on scars. Most said they were reminders of God’s healing touch in bringing them through difficult times. Here are just a few of the comments:
* We all have them, I’m sure. Could we really grow without them and what they represent? Without my experiences (and the scars I carry as a result), could I have learned repentance? Could I possibly feel for others–know their pain AND their joys?
* Barbara, scars on our minds or emotions, whatever you want to call them, are the prices we have paid in relationships. Just like physical scars, they show what we’ve endured, but also what we’ve overcome. These emotional scars remain as symbols that we’re no longer the naive, super-trusting, dependent ivory-tower innocence we once were. Now, we are scarred, but we are stronger, more independent, and definitely more empathetic toward others. Now we are aware of the world around us, the struggles of others, and the pain that loving entails … and it was worth it to finally become adults, not

just grown- up children. Think what we would have missed without the pain and the resulting scars! Remember that old country song about not missing the dance?

* I was thinking about my life and all the things that I’ve done wrong. The pain that it has caused, the hurt I’ve carried for so long. If I could just go back- oh the things I would not do. Then my savior gently whispered, my child look, I have scars too. So when sorrow overwhelms me over past forgiven sin, and Satan tried to tell me, just give up; you’ll never win. I’ll hold on to God’s promises; I know his word is true, and my savior will remind me, my child look, I have scars too. They pierced my hands and feet, drove a spear into my side. They spat on me and cursed, Father forgive them I cried. —( I wrote this in a very real experience, when he spoke it to my heart).
* Scars are visual reminders of your past, firsts, and lasts. The first time you rode a bike and skinned your knee, the last time you pulled a turkey out of the oven and burned your arm; these scars raise up good memories…positive scars…
There are also scars that cannot be seen that do the same – the time I almost shut a door on my daughter’s hand. If I had been successful, she would have likely lost a few fingers….but she didn’t. . There are those scars of “what if” but ones of gratitude because it didn’t happen.
The mental scars of bad decisions, poor choices, are within us but how we chose to think about them is really the most important. For example, a teenage pregnancy caused by a poor decision is a scar early in life, but the life that is brought into the world makes that scar disappear over time as that child grows up to become someone amazing.
Another friend simply sent an encouraging message: Let’s all turn our scars into stars and share with others what God has done for us.
I believe scars simply mean we have lived. I told a friend, “I may wear out, knees and all, but I don’t want to rust our by being idle. By the way, my knee scar got me a wheelchair ride through airports.
There is a contemporary Christian song that says, “Heal the wound, but leave the scar. “
The scars on Jesus remind us of the debt he paid for our salvation. They also served as proof for Tomas that he was, indeed, the resurrected Lord.
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” John 20: 27
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