“Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving but believe. Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” (John 20:26-29)
This took place after the Resurrection of Jesus. The disciples were locked in a room cowering in fear of the Jews, when Jesus appeared out of nowhere. He was wounded for our sake and had the scars to prove it.
But Thomas, or “doubting Thomas” as he is known, was not there the first time and had yet to believe it was truly Jesus the others had seen. He required evidence of the scars.
We are all scarred. Life is a difficult battle. We all have the battle scars to prove it. Yet we grow through our wounds and scars. It cannot be any other way.
At an event, I ran into someone I hadn’t seen in very many years. She admitted, “I never would have recognized you if I had seen you on the street.” I didn’t really take that as a compliment since I was MUCH older since she had last seen me. I guess I have changed quite a bit.
Just like the disciples did not recognize Jesus when he first entered the room, because He also had changed. Then by His scars, the disciples were finally able to recognize Him.
We have been changed by our scars and the people we know don’t always realize it. Or they can’t see it. Or don’t want to see it because they are used to the way we were before. Sometimes they need us to be our old selves because our change threatens them in some way.
Our scars are unique to each of us and make us who we are. Often we wouldn’t trade our scars because they bring us closer to God. “I am thankful for the scars” is a line in a beautiful song by the group I Am They entitled “Scars”.
Another line in the song is as follows: “And I’m not who I was before. No, I don’t have to fear anymore.”
We need to grow from fear to surrender to Jesus, as the disciples did. By His wounds we are healed.
A scar represents that something wounded was healed. Our scars are important reminders for us. Don’t try to minimize or cover them up. Or be ashamed or make excuses for them.
Paradoxically, our wounds make us more beautiful and perfect than before. They represent healing and growth.
It is even possible for us to find joy in suffering if we unite our sorrows to Christ. He is with us through it all even when it doesn’t seem like it.
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12-10)
Our scars do not make us any less beautiful. In fact, we are more beautiful because of our flaws whether obvious to the human eye or not. Sometimes what the world considers ugly or imperfect is really beauty. Sometimes it is only obvious to the heart or to the heart of God.
Look past the scars to the inner beauty and strength gained from the battle.
Love heals all wounds and Jesus has given us the ultimate gift of love by dying on a cross. We share in His suffering and we too shall rise again and be made whole in the next life.
Our battle scars are a reminder of who we are and how far we have come. Just as we look to Jesus and his wounds on the cross for us. Unlike Thomas, through the eyes of faith, we believe without having seen.
Let us joyfully proclaim with Thomas, “My Lord and My God.”
