Scars

Scars. We all have them. I have sports related scars, surgery related scars, construction related scars and scars from just being stupid. I have emotional scars as well that people can’t see, but they are there, whether visible or not. All of our scars have stories that go right along with them as well as lessons learned from those same scars. I bet you have your own scars, visible and invisible, that have some pretty interesting stories that go with them.

Scars are nothing to be ashamed of, they mean that at one time we were in a bad situations and they also mean that we survived those very same situations. Scars mean we’ve been hurt and scars mean we’ve been healed. Scars mean that we have gone through battles and came out victorious on the other side. We have no reason to hide our scars because they show the world that we have overcome the worst that has been thrown our way.

Jesus was unashamed of His scars. After His Resurrection, He appeared to the eleven disciples multiple times but one of them still had his doubts until he saw Him for himself. Thomas has been given the nickname “Doubting Thomas” because of his need to see Jesus after the Resurrection with his own eyes. When Jesus appeared to Thomas and the others in the upper room, He proudly showed off His scars.

“Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’  But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.’”  - John 20:24-25.

“Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.’  Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’  Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’”  - John 20:27-29.

Our scars are something to be proud of. Our scars make us who we are. Jesus bears the scars of the Cross to remind us of what He did for us and He does so unashamedly. We should not be ashamed of our scars or of our love for our Savior.  By His wounds we are healed.

Have a great day and God bless.