Thursday, March 12, 2009

Scars of Life, Scars of Love

As a group, we’ve talked about using discernment, not judgement. This story tangents that a little. It’s touching but let’s assume the story’s also made up!

On a hot summer day in the South a little boy decided to go for a swim in the small lake behind his house. He jumped into the cool water and swam toward the middle, not realizing that an alligator swam near shore. His mother, inside the house, looked out the window and saw the two as they swam closer and closer. In horror she ran to the water, yelling as loudly as she could. Hearing her, the boy turned around to swim back but just as he reached her the alligator reached him. From the dock, the mother grabbed her boy by the arms as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war. The alligator was much stronger than the woman, but she was too passionate to let go. Just then, a farmer happened to stop by. He heard screams, raced from his truck, and shot the alligator.

Fortunately, after spending time in the hospital the little boy recovered. His legs were scarred by the animal attack and his arms had deep scratches where Mom’s fingernails dug into his flesh to hang on to the son she loved. A reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma asked to see the scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. With obvious pride he said to the reporter, “But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Mom wouldn’t let go.”

Like the boy, we all have scars. Not from an alligator but from suffering. But, some of the marks are also there because God refused to let go of you, a child of God.

(Picked up from an online religious newsletter)

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