THE SCARS THAT TELL THE STORY

FEBRUARY 6, 2023

Psalm 107:2 says, “Let The Redeemed Of The Lord Tell Their Story.” (NIV)

In the book “Your Scars Are Beautiful To God,” Sharon Jaynes compares the scars in one’s life to the wrinkled or broken spine of a good book signifying that there is a story to tell. The wrinkles, the scars, and the stress marks represent life changes that have occurred over the years. They are permanent reminders of the good, the bad, and sometimes the ugly. Each scar represents a moment or passage of time that remains vivid in our memory. I have many scars on my body, some of which I can laugh about. Then, there are those in my mental wheelhouse that are not so humorous. Mental and emotional pain leaves the most painful scars and is often the ones you cannot see but can gain the most incredible strength from.

Unfortunately, some of the anger and violence we are experiencing today has been exacerbated by mental or emotional pain experienced years ago. During these times, the people experiencing this pain had no control over how to stop feeling weak in the on-slot of pain or turn that pain into a strong point. Brokenness took place; thoughts became scattered with no clear path or direction, and these scars became larger than life. Street gangs, gun violence, drive-by shootings, and domestic violence are nothing more than people wanting to control those whom they cannot control without violence. As Christians, we need to help people recognize Jesus through their scars. In John 20:20, Christ stood among His Disciples with eyes of disbelief. He made a simple gesture and held out His hands to reveal His nail-scared hands. He lifted His tunic to show the scar where He had been speared in his side. Church, I ask you today to guide and minister to the people of God by the strength of your scars that God has allowed you to have.