Scars of Forgiveness

Typically, scars aren’t all that great. There are many memories behind the scars we bare; permanent reminders of past pains and accidents. In this sin ridden world not one of is immune from them; they’re now a part of life, so much so that sometimes people even pay money for customized colored scars. Everyone has scars. I have scars. On the corner of my left eye, one faintly on the right side of my forehead, another on my left thumb, and a relatively new one under my chin. Each one of my scars could tell a story. Running into the corner of a table as a toddler, an altercation when I was sixteen, a run in with a metal stud while hanging drywall on the job, and flipping head first over handle bars on to a “strategically” placed log a few weeks ago, but hey, I still have all my teeth (smile.) Beyond those scars, the ones visible on the surface are those buried behind our sometime pseudo smiles; the scars we don’t share with others; the scars marred upon our spirits. Often we scar ourselves, sometimes others scar us. The scar I carry upon my forehead is less noticeable than it once was but the scar etched upon my spirit that same night still aches from time to time. It’s no easy thing to forget the scars we bare; in fact I’m not so sure we can. But we can learn from them, we can grow past them, we can forgive for them. In all honesty it took a long time to forgive for the scar above my brow but I remembered another who knew my pain. I felt the love of another who took scars I deserved. I felt the grace from a savior which heals wounds and forgives faults. For there is One who sees me without blemish, One who holds me with His wholly yet holy hands, One who lets me see myself scar-less, yet scarlet by grace. Jesus Christ died for us so that we can die to self for those that need Him. Our scars our covered, our sins are forgiven; still we must forgive those that scar us and seek not to scar others. We must learn to: live in grace, seeking holiness and the will of God, grace ourselves, seeing ourselves as Christ sees, grace others, seeing them as Christ sees them. Scared upon the cross Jesus forgave those who inflicted His pain, who are we not to forgive those who scar us. Lord let my scars shout forgiveness, for others and myself…