But leave the scar
For those of you who follow my blog, know one of my main recurring themes have been teach by example. It is the way we learn the best, as examples often times are things you go through yourself. During our childhood our parents often told us don’t do this and don’t do that, and of course the perfect children didn’t do anything that was not approved by their parents. But children that were bent on a little more adventurous curve had to try. Our parents told us over and over not to play ball in the house. For some reason my brother and I thought that only pertained to when they were present. On one such occasion my brother blocked me from making a basket over the lentil of the door knocking me into an end table and causing me to get five stitches in my head. That scar is a constant reminder of my parents warning of not to play ball in the house. Often times we tried to prove that we could do anything, only to prove it could be harmful to us. Like the time my mother told me not to ride my bike while caring umbrella. I thought that I was going to prove her wrong, until I hit loose gravel and ended up over the handlebars of the bicycle. The end was assault was a deep gouge in my knee followed by a beautiful scar that was all that was left to tell the tale. From that moment on every time I saw that scar it reminded me not to ride a bike with an umbrella.
Of course our parents know nothing when it comes to matters of the heart, so when they tried to dissuade me from dating a boy I liked I ignored the warning. Although the scar is not visible on the outside the scar on the inside reminds me to listen to people who have lived and experienced life more than I.
It is to our great benefit that we often learn lessons the hard way and have scars to show what we have been through and hopefully a lesson learned. It is also to our great benefit that we have a loving Father who is willing to take the stripes of the whip and the crucifixion on a cross so we could learn a valuable lesson, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We know from reading the Bible that after Jesus rose from the dead he was asked by Thomas, (who was later dubbed doubting Thomas,) to touch his side where he was stabbed and touch his hands where he was nailed to the cross. The scars remained as a testament of what he had been through for us. And because of His sacrifice we have the opportunity to spend eternity with Him in heaven if we accept him as our Savior. Of course you know I’m going to interject a song that is appropriate to my subject if I can and here it is:
Heal the Wound
by Point of Grace
I used to wish that I could rewrite history
I used to dream that each mistake could be erased
Then I could just pretend
I never knew the me back then
I used to pray that You would take this shame away
Hide all the evidence of who I’ve been
But it’s the memory of the place You brought me from
That keeps me on my knees and even though I’m free
Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart, take the pieces of this heart
And heal the wound but leave the scar
I have not lived a life that boasts of anything
I don’t take pride in what I bring
But I’ll build an altar with the rubble that You’ve found me in
And every stone will sing of what You can redeem
And heal the wound but leave the scar
As parents whenever our children are hurt we wipe the wound put a bandage on it and seal it with a kiss of healing in the hope that we take away some of their pain. Often times the hurt they incur does leave scars, which will remind them of how the injury happened. Having a scar to remind them will help them avoid the same injury in the future. We need to teach our children the injuries that were sustained by Jesus Christ in our stead because; the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life. He died and suffered scars so they will never have to, because their sin debt has already been paid.
We as writers often incur the hurt of rejection letters and low sales of our works, but the scars are on the inside and undermine our self-confidence. It is those restrictions that will help us become a better writer in the future, if we listen and learn from past experiences. Learning from the past only helps us become better at everything we try.
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
Psalms 147:3
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
II Corinthians 12:9
For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.
Jeramiah 30:12
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
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.
Isaiah 53:4-5