Scars

A friend recently shared a blessing.  She was able to go with her adult daughter to her hair appointment.  Why was this such a blessing?  Because two and a half years ago, her daughter had a horrific accident.  Her hair caught fire from a simple candle's flame.  Can you imagine for a moment, the pain?  The terror?  For the past two and a half years, her daughter has had to go through multiple treatments, endure multiple infections, and live the trauma from this event.  So to be able to go with her daughter to get her hair cut, was a blessing and a milestone in her daughters healing.
But even though the infections have passed, and her hair is now growing, she will forever live with the scars from this accident.
But we all have scars.
Webster's Dictionary defines scars this way:  
1-A mark remaining as on the skin after injured tissue has healed.
2-a mark left on a stem or branch where a leaf or fruit has separated.
3-a mark or indentation, resulting from damage or wear.
4-a lasting moral or emotional injury.
If we were to read each definition, we would see that we all bare scars.
Maybe from an accident.  Maybe someone you love has left you.  A friend betrayed you.  You were abused.  Or maybe you are just worn out from the constant physical or mental pain you endure every day.
Maybe your scar was inflicted on you by someone else.  Or maybe, your scar was self-inflicted.
Maybe our scars are obvious, or maybe they are hidden.  Visible and invisible scars.  We all have them.
No one can live in our world and not be scarred.
Not even God.
Isaiah 53:5 says, But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
May the scars in our lives remind us of the Grace so freely given by our Saviour.
Henry Longfellow once said, "Every man has secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad."
May God help us see others through His eyes of love, so we can make a difference in the life of someone who is hurting.
I know I want too.....but that's just me.