Scars

Scars. We all have them, either from surgeries, from accidents in our childhood, or other things. We all have emotional scars as well from being hurt by those we love and other people or from consequences of our own making.

But why does God allow us have scars?

This past weekend a good friend and I traveled to Berea, Ky. I know, you’re thinking, where is that and why did you go? It is a college town that is very artsy. We enjoyed the trip and the quaintness of the town very much!

While there I bought this cutting board. I love the color green, and that is what drew me to it. The wood is ambrosia maple. I had never heard of it or seen it that I remember.

The green streaks are made by the tree. If you notice closely on the pictures, there are several small holes. The holes are made by the ambrosia beetle. It is a very, very small insect that burrows in the wood. The tree’s reaction is to make those green streaks. The beetles aren’t good for the tree, but I love the green color.

The tree is healthy until the beetle comes. The green streaks are the scars the tree makes in response to that invasion. This reminds me of the scars we have when our hearts when we are attacked by Satan. I don’t always know why God allows this, but I know because of my scars both physically and emotionally, I am a stronger person. I have had a lot of surgeries on this body and have the scars to prove it. I also have emotional scars from hurts of the past both from others and of my own making.

I know I will have many more scars in the future, but I also know that God will help me to repair them and to make beauty out of them. That beauty may be in my own eyes knowing what I have gone through getting them. Or it could be beauty that someone else sees when I can help them while the develop their own scars.

So next time you see your physical or emotional scars or someone else’s, remember what you went through and know they have gone through something too!