A little boy invited his mother to attend his elementary school’s first teacher-parent conference. To the little boy’s dismay, she said she would go. This would be the first time that his classmates and teacher would meet his mother and he was embarrassed by her appearance. Although she was a beautiful woman, there was a severe scar that covered nearly the entire right side of her face. The boy never wanted to talk about why or how she got the scar.
At the conference, the people were impressed by the kindness and natural beauty of his mother, despite the scar, but the little boy was still embarrassed and hid himself from everyone. He did, however, get within earshot of a conversation between his mother and his teacher, and heard them speaking. “How did you get the scar on your face?” the teacher asked. The mother replied, “When my son was a baby, he was in a room that caught on fire. Everyone was too afraid to go in because the fire was out of control, so I went in. As I was running toward his crib, I saw a beam coming down and I placed myself over him trying to shield him. I was knocked unconscious, but fortunately, a fireman came in and saved both of us.” She touched the burned side of her face. “This scar will be permanent, but to this day, I have never regretted doing what I did.” At this point, the little boy came out running towards his mother with tears in his eyes. He hugged her and felt an overwhelming sense of the sacrifice that his mother had made for him. He held her hand tightly for the rest of the day.[1]
In a similar manner, Jesus Christ bears a scar—many scars, in fact. They are the reminder of His days full of pain and suffering on this earth. In fact, they symbolize the most terrible event in the history of the whole universe, but they also stand for Christ’s unconditional mercy and love. Being raised from the dead did not erase His scars; He still bore nail prints in His hands. The Christian faith does not deny the pain, the reality of the wound, or the existence of the scars. But it’s our faith that enables us to go on.
After His resurrection, Jesus appeared before His disciples but they did not recognize Him. It was only when Jesus showed them His scars that they knew Him. Thomas had not been with the other disciples and that is why he said: “Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe.” John 20:25. One week later Jesus surprised the disciples again and Thomas was among them. When Thomas saw His scars they led him to say, “My Lord and my God!” John 20:28. They lead me to say the same thing. I am so thankful that something so ugly and horrible as those scars have taken on such beauty because they prove the great love that Jesus Christ had for me.
It was a hot day in the south of Florida when a young boy decided to go for a swim in the lagoon at the back of his house. Full of joy he ran out of the back door and dove into the water. His mother was observing him through a window and saw what was about to happen. Immediately she rushed out towards her son and shouted as loud as she could. The boy heard her screaming and started swimming back to the shore but it was too late. The mother grabbed her child by his arms at the same moment that a crocodile took hold of his legs. The woman was pulling him with all her strength. The wild animal was very strong but the mother was even more determined and the love for her son was much stronger. A man heard the screaming, got to the shore with a gun, and killed the crocodile. The boy was saved, and even though his legs were badly injured, he was able to walk again. When he got out of the trauma, a reporter asked him to show him his scars on the legs. The child raised the blanket and showed them to him. Then proudly he turned up his sleeves and said: “These are the ones you should have a look at!” Those were the signs of his mother’s finger nails that had dug into his arms. “I have them because my mother didn’t let go of me and saved my life.”
Some of your scars are caused by your own sins, but some are God’s finger prints when He grasped you with strength so that you would not fall into the claws of evil.
We all have scars, human as we are. I have a scar on my left knee which I got last year when I had a sporting accident. I had to have surgery and they fixed my knee. The operation left a scar of some centimeters in size on my leg. Every time I touch it, it reminds me of God’s grace that I can walk and do sports again.
You have got your scars, some visible, some invisible, some more visible with age. Maybe hurt feelings, a broken heart, disappointment, anger or bitterness left a sign on your heart and soul. Every single one tells its own story. Your Saviour also has scars to prove His love for you. If you do not know Him, like Thomas, if you cannot believe, Jesus will graciously show you His scars “that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name.” John 20:31. If you still struggle with your painful past, Jesus tells you: “I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee.” 2 Kings 20:5. Peter wrote that by His wounds and scars we have been healed (1 Peter 2:24). One day when Jesus will come back to this earth, these signs will still be visible for all of humanity to see. Nobody will be able to deny His sacrifice on the cross. Then with love in His eyes He will take you by the hand and turn your scars into stars.
Manuela Di Franca
[1] Lih Yuh Kuo in “A chicken soup for the soul”