Every Scar Tells A Story

Almost everyone has at least one scar somewhere on their body, and some folks have multiple scars. Every scar tells a story. For example, I have about a three inch scar on the inside of my right thigh that was caused by a razor blade cut when I was three years of age (yes, I was experimenting!). I also have several scars on my left thumb caused by a missed stroke of a potato peeler when I was assisting my father in peeling the potatoes we needed for French fries in a fast-food drive-in my family once operated.

Every one of us can give at least a brief history of our life by the scars we have incurred on our body, because every scar has a painful tale to tell. Let's for a moment imagine the stories that Paul could tell us about his scars: "The abrasions on my body were caused by the Jews from Antioch and Iconium who stoned me at Lystra, leaving me for dead" (Acts 14:8-19); Or, "The scars on my back were caused by the magistrates of Philippi who commanded that Silas and I be beaten with rods" (cf. Acts 16:12-23; 2 Corinthians 11:23-25).

However, unlike the scars we may have, the scars on Paul's body told stories of preaching the gospel under adverse circumstances and men's hateful responses (Acts 14:1-19; Acts 16:12-24). But Paul was not emotionally scarred by them. In fact, he was able to glory in them with no thoughts of revenge (2 Corinthians 11:30; 2 Corinthians 12:1-50).

He always saw that what he suffered for Christ as a sharing in Christ's suffering, and insignificant in comparison to what Christ endured on the cross (Romans 8:16-18; Philippians 1:27-30; cf. Hebrews 12:2-4).

Dear reader, we can thank God that we live in a more humane society than either Jesus or Paul. Our scars are usually memories of conflicts with religious error. But if we choose to reflect and allow our scars to tell their stories, let us allow them to be recitals of rejoicing and not bitterness — rejoicing that we are "counted worthy to suffer shame for His name" (Acts 5:40-41).

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets