Scars

I have always found scars to be very interesting. When I first meet someone and they have a visible scar, I am immediately drawn to it. I guess it's natural, but I consider it part of a person's character. Like an antique piece of furniture with water damaged wood that adds that special something to the wood grain or the coffee ring on the surface of an old table. I think scars are unique because they each have their own story.

Some of my scars are not fascinating at all. I have one on my knee that I earned when someone pushed me down the robot slide in the late 70's in Beaver Park near the Lafayette airport. Another one was self-inflicted by accident with a boning knife that my Dad left out while cooking chicken. Those are not very exciting, but their stories are unique.

Then there are other scars that are not easily seen. The scars we don't like to show others. Ever. Or even think about. Some are hidden within people's minds. But they are all a part of our story. Scars from mental or verbal abuse. The scars that are left when someone you love is taken to heaven. Sexual Abuse. Suicide. Abortion. Alcoholism. All of these scars don't go away. These are scars that we can easily keep hidden. Some are deeper than others. If no one sees them then they don't really exist. Don't live in denial.

I recently heard an awesome speaker at our church that said if we expose our own scars God could use them to help someone else. By exposing my own scars, doors have opened for me to be able to help others. Trust me, it is not easy to expose your scars. The pain is rough. But it gets easier when you know you are helping someone. It is how we use our scars that matters most not how well hidden we keep them. When scars are uncovered real healing begins.