I remember being in the surgery room at the Vet Clinic where I worked growing up and Dr. Jones skillfully operating on a dog. He commented on how tough the tissue was to cut through and then quickly discovered that the reason was that it was scar tissue from wounds that had been inflicted upon the dog a long time ago. The dog actually had bee-bees imbedded in its flesh from someone shooting at it. What I learned in that moment is that scar tissue is really tough stuff. It is stronger than the original tissue.
We all carry scars around with us…they shape who we are, tell a bit of our stories, influence our decisions, and affect how we interact with others. How we view the world is often a result of our scars and how we view God is often affected by how we respond to our scars. The truth of the matter is, none of us are walking around un-scarred or undamaged…we all have wounds…it’s a fact of life. It’s just that some of our wounds are more apparent than others. Some wounds are visible to others…wounds from accidents, birth defects, aging, and malice that has been inflicted upon us by others. Other wounds aren’t visible but their results are still obvious: hatred, bigotry, anger…we see these often times in people who are hard to be around…we see the effects of these wounds/scars in overtly aggressive behaviors. And then there are the invisible wounds/scars…these are usually created and nursed in private: abuse, molestation, mistreatment, ostracism, loss, neglect, shame, and addiction. I believe that most of us have wounds from multiple or even all of these categories.
Regardless of how you acquired your wounds or how you wounds have turned into scars (through healing correctly or incorrectly…through neglect of the wound which turns into infection or treating it right away which tends to leave tough scar tissue) you are deeply affected by those scars and your response to them influences your approach to God as well as people.
So far, I haven’t said anything that you all don’t already know. Where the musing comes in is this: What if we have a choice between wasting our wounds and utilizing them? What if utilizing those wounds for the benefit of others and to the glory of God will be our beauty in heaven? Bear with me here. Jesus was wounded for the benefit of many…that is the redemption story…the pain is not wasted…every ounce of his suffering was for the restoration of relationship between God and mankind. He set the example of the gospel to be lived out by us. So, why wouldn’t our pain and wounds also be a continuation of that redemption story? Our suffering is meant to be restorative. Then our pain and wounds which seem so ugly here…those same wounds become beautiful in heaven. Maybe beauty looks different in heaven than the “beauty” that we value here on earth. (Wouldn’t it be just like Jesus to turn our values upside down on their heads?!) Maybe, just maybe, our scars and deformities and wounds that we used to help others here will be our crowns and the glory we can offer Jesus in heaven…our glorified bodies.
Like I said, I don’t have scripture to back up my thoughts that our glorified bodies will be scarred and ugly by earthly standards…but it stands to reason (at least to me) that it could play out that way. After all, when Jesus returned from the grave, he had scars that helped people in their faith. Also, it would answer the questions “Why do bad things happen to good people?” and “Why doesn’t God just say the word and make everything perfect?” He is giving us the chance to know him on a deeper level and to become more beautiful like him.
What are your thoughts on this? Are you wasting your wounds? If we just live in pain for the sake of being in pain, we are masochists…but if we look for opportunities to redeem the pain, we become more like Jesus. How are you doing with this? Are you allowing your wounds to heal properly and become strong, tough scar tissue or are you nursing your wounds in private and allowing them to fester? Do you have scars that can help others or are you letting your wounds define you? Make no mistake about it, scar tissue is tough stuff…stronger than the original tissue. If you have been broken by life, that is a source of strength…not weakness. Don’t waste the pain.
angelfacedaggie 