TREASURES IN THE SHAPE OF SCARS

I have several scars on my body. I think most of us if asked would say that we do have one or two, if not more scars somewhere on our bodies and we can usually remember where they came from. For example, I have a little scare below my bottom lip that I received when I was disobeying my mom and climbing up on the kitchen counter as a little girl and I fell and split my lip open on a metal stool. I also have a scar on my shin where I fell off of my bike as a kid when they took off my training wheels. I also have a few other scars that are not quite as humorous. Such as the one on my hand that I received when I had lost my temper while holding a bunch of metal clothes hangers and when I tried to throw them down one of the hangers ripped into my skin and left a scar on my hand.

Perhaps the most painful scars I have, however, are the ones you can’t see. You know the ones I'm talking about. We all have them. They are the scars on our hearts and in our souls. The scar of rejection from a mother that suffered from depression and didn't know how to love me; the scar of growing up in a home riddled with verbal abuse and guilt; the scar of disappointment at the loss of a child or a spouse; the scar of broken dreams.

We receive scars in one of two ways: what has been done to us by other people or what has been done through us by our own mistakes and failures. Either way, I believe that scars are not something that we need to hide or be ashamed of, but rather an invitation to share the healing power of Jesus Christ with a hurting world. For a scar, by its very definition, implies healing.

Perhaps you've never thought of the wounds in your life as potential treasures. The Bible tells us, "Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story" (Psalm 107:2). Your story may be one of your greatest treasures. Share your story and let others know that you have made mistakes, you have been hurt, but Jesus brought you through it all!  

• Do you have some scars on your body that are comical?
• Do you have some scars on your body that represent a deep hurt from your past?
• Do you have some scars on your soul that represent a story to tell? A story of healing or redemption? If so, consider telling someone today!