Scars

As I was trimming the fuzzy remnants of hair on the crown of my bald head I noticed the scar from the head injury I received in the car accident that killed my Dad in 1959. The gash was deep enough that they told my Mom that had it gone another half inch it would have killed me. For many years barometric changes would cause me some pain like a headache and the scar was noticeable enough even when I had hair for people to ask me how I got it. Answering that was painful as it made me remember that day and the pain I felt for years over the loss of my Dad.

Today, nearly 53 years later it is rather faded and I have to point to it if I am discussing the accident with someone as part of my testimony. It is easy for me to see since I experienced the cause of it. I guess you could say it was an upfront and personal experience, yet I seldom think of it or really pay any attention to it . Some folks who see it think I was kicked by a horse since it is curved. They never did figure out what actually caused the injury, but whatever it was does not matter. Its impact was great and remains with me until this day.

As I write this I am in the back of my mind reliving that day and though it still brings some sadness the pain is not as intense and I am at peace with it. Oh, that so many of our emotional and spiritual scars would fade as easy and the memories more quickly tolerable. Because of unkind people and other circumstances I felt the emotional pain of that day long after the physical scar no longer hurt or was as noticeable to me or others.

My scar now reminds me that I am here for a reason as I have been close to death several times that I know of since that day and only God knows how many other times I have come close to death unaware that I was close. Obviously, I needed the grace of life to learn some lessons or repeat some that I have failed in hopes that I might pass the next time around.

I might even have some service to God that I have yet to perform and where I will see more of His glory and power than I have yet seen. I am grateful to be here for my wife, children and seven grandchildren. My son waited so long to marry and have a child that I did not think I would be here to see them if he ever had any and so far I am blessed to see Trinity Alexa. Since they are planning on trying to conceive again in October, I may get to see my eighth and most likely last grandchild. I might even make it to see a great grandchild since the oldest grandchild is eighteen. Who knows?

My scar which could have been on my dead body is a reminder to praise the One who allowed me to live this long so it is not a bad thing anymore. It is a mark of grace. That grace has also healed the emotional and spiritual wounds from that time.

Some folks have physical scars from saving people from a fire and others from wounds sustained in combat. These are marks of honor and though they may still hurt and may mar what some might call a handsome or beautiful visage by man's standard of beauty, they are marks of true beauty for they came from showing love for a fellow human and country. They are badges of honor and all who see them should love the person bearing those scars and thank them even if it was not their loved one that was saved or a soldier in their family. Those scars and the acts that caused them benefit the whole of mankind for love is always in short supply. Seeing the results of love in action should be a joy to all and their appreciation for such acts should cause them to reach out in loving gratitude.

Some reading this may have scars that came not from honorable or loving actions but rather from acts of cruelty and hatred. You may have wondered what you have done to bear such pain and have such horrendous physical, emotional and spiritual scars. I say unto you, nothing. We live in a terribly wicked world where wicked men will only get worse and worse as we get to the end of the age.

Such evil exists because of the fallen nature of man and because satan and his minions exist to only cause murder and mayhem in this world. The very best of us can perform the most despicable acts and even be shocked by them for few think they could be capable of such things. This is how our heart which is desperately wicked deceives us.