“Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So, the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.’” -John 20:24-25

Scars are great storytellers.  They tell stories of struggles, trials, and tribulations.  They make those we meet aware that we’ve been through some things.  We’ve been hurt, betrayed, rejected, and isolated. We’ve been exposed to dark places, lost without direction, confused about identity, purpose, and unsure of the unknown.  Scars inform people we encounter along the way that we are not strangers to pain and heartache, grief and sorrow, loss and despair. 

However, scars also tell stories of victory. They relay the message that we’ve been through storms and survived. They say that, yes, we’ve suffered through the pain but that we’ve made it through. They show that we’ve wandered in the lowest valleys and most arid deserts, crossed the most aggressive rivers, and that we’ve lived to tell the tale.  

Our scars are proof that our stories are true; that they happened. More than vivid storytellers, however, they also testify to an awesome reality and very sobering personal revelation.  We did not make it on our own. 

The most important story that scars tell us is a personal one: that God has never left us and that his own nail scarred hands and feet, as well as head and side, are confirmation that the wounds that made the scars are also crucial parts of our story and salvation.  They matter because they teach us that there are no rainbows without rain, no crown without the cross. 

Isaiah 43:2 reminds us of God’s promise, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”  

As we run our fingers over our physical or metaphorical scars, we are reminded of our stories.  Much like tattoos for many people, each one represents a certain time of life, or a life event worth documenting for all to see and know about; the birth of a child, the death of a loved one, etc. Scars have particular and personal meanings, and like tattoos, some are colorful and others, not so colorful. 

They say to us that at one point of life, we were in the fire and though we may have been burned, God was with us.  We were not consumed. 

So, let us allow our scars to do what they do best; remind us that we have survived and that God is with us as we wear them proudly as badges of faith and honor. 

Written by Rob Rocha, receptionist at Buckner Family Hope Center at Bachmann Lake