Beautiful Scars

/ Mount Vernon Grace Brethren Church/

Nearly a month ago, on Christmas Day, my oldest son Judah was running when he fell and badly cut his middle finger. 2 hours at Urgent Care and 6 stitches later we finally returned home to eat our Christmas lunch. Here we are today — over 4 weeks later and although his bandage is off and the stitches are out, his finger is still healing. And he’s going to have a scar.

Soon after his accident we began hearing other’s stories of injuries and scars. Have you ever noticed that — how once something happens to you, others start opening up to tell you how they can relate to your experience? How you’re like them?

These stories started me thinking about scars and healing. My thinking is that in a way scars can be beautiful. Yes, scars can absolutely be terrible reminders of pain, injury and suffering, but a scar can also communicate “Yes, I was wounded, and I bled. But I survived and now I’ve healed. See my scar? See what God has brought me through? See how He’s had victory in and through me?”

When I think of initially painful physical marks that later led to a beautiful life, I immediately think of the apostle Paul. On the way to Damascus to imprison Christians, God blasted Paul with intense light, stopping him in his tracks. Initially Paul was completely blind, but soon he received sight again through a man named Ananias. Multiple passages cause me to believe that even after being healed Paul struggled with poor eyesight for the rest of his life (see Acts 23:1-6 where Paul apparently couldn’t see the High priest and “perceived” the council was composed of Pharisees and Sadducees; Galatians 6:11 where he writes “large letters” with his own hand; and 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 where he saw a heavenly vision and was given a fleshly thorn — possibly / likely vision problems — to remain humble).

Regardless of the status of his eyesight, Paul must have had fleshly scars as the result of his preaching and evangelizing. Consider his near death encounter in Lystra

“Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.”
— Acts 14:19-20

Beyond physical scars, Paul also had memories of sin that could have been spiritually painful and debilitating. In the famous “Resurrection Chapter” Paul writes 

“I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:9-10

Paul had not forgotten the violence he had committed against the Church, but this ‘scar of a memory’ had been turned into a beautiful part of his life and spiritual journey. The memory of his past sin was a powerful catalyst that helped fuel Paul’s relentless sowing of The Gospel. Paul’s spiritual (and I think physical) scar(s) led to a beautiful and productive life spent for God and His work. 

My point is, it’s better to be scarred and truly changed for God’s purpose and glory than it is to have what appears to be blemish-less skin or a perfect reputation in man’s sight. 

It’s quite clear that God finds pleasure in spiritually healing and cleansing broken lives. Aren’t we glad He prefers to restore those who need healing, rather than immediately trashing broken people?

How About You?

  • What physical, spiritual or emotional wounds has The Lord beautifully healed you of?

  • Is there a way in which The Lord been glorified through your bruises?

  • Do you have any scars that are spiritually beautiful?

Verses about Healing

  • Revelation 22:2

  • Malachi 4:2

  • Hosea 6:1-2

  • 3 John 1:2

Jesus Has Beautiful Scars

  • John 20:24-29

  • Isaiah 53:4-7

  • Revelation 5:6-12

Scarred Men that God Used and Loves

  1. Abraham: Fearful (Genesis 12:10-13) yet called believing and the friend of God (James 2:23)

  2. Moses: Disobedient (Numbers 20:7-12) yet known by God face-to-face as a friend (Exodus 33:11)

  3. King David: Scarred (2 Samuel 12:13-14) yet a man after God’s Own heart (Acts 13:22)

  4. Peter: Denier of Christ (Luke 22:31-34, and 22:54-62) yet called again by Christ (John 21:15-19) and proclaimed reliable by Jesus (Matthew 16:13-19)

This post is dedicated to ZM and JO.