No Scars?

They pierced My hands and My feet.
(Psalm 22:16 NKJV)

If you are a Christian and you tell me you have no scars, my response is going to be two-fold: 1) you are very blessed, and 2) what planet are you from?

We all have scars. Some are caused simply because we walk in a fallen, sinful world. Others are a result of trials sent by God to test us. We also sometimes inflict scars on ourselves by being disobedient to God, and then there are those we get by following Christ. Paul knew the reality of the latter.

From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus (Galatians 6:17 NIV).

A Christian without scars begets the question, “Are you truly following Christ?” If you have somehow miraculously avoided scars in your life, you will undoubtedly acquire them at some point.

No wound? No scar?
Yes, as the Master shall the servant be,
And pierced are the feet that follow Me;
But thine are whole: can he have followed far,
Who has no wound nor scar?
(Amy Carmichael, Missionary)

Matthew West has a song called The Healing Has Begun, and the words perfectly describe why our scars are important. “There’s a world of people dying from broken hearts, holding onto their guilt thinking they fell too far, so don’t be afraid to show them your beautiful scars.”

Scars allow you to walk in someone’s shoes, to be able to get down in the pit with them, to truly understand what they are going through, and to be able to help them walk out.

No matter how you came by your scars, be proud of them. Don’t be afraid to show them to world. They are proof God heals.