The scars...

When I was at school, every student had his own handy diary. It was a combination of an identity card and other student related information. There used to be an Identification section on the main page. I used to find it hard to fill in because of the lack of a unique mole or a scar in my body. However one fine day, I had a cut in my eyebrow when I was playing cricket and there came a scar. From then onwards 'A scar on the right eyebrow' used to be my first identification mark in my diary for many years.

Scars are not painful but it can bring back memories of a day where you would have wriggled with pain. Sometimes the scar tells you to be thankful to God that you escaped with little injuries. Some scars are scary. They also sometimes grab someone's attention and sometimes strangers are curious to know how the scar happend. Every scar has a story like the one I have.

Some months ago, I was playing Table tennis at a nearby club in The Netherlands. After an hour's training session, I crashed tired in the bench along with my clubmates. Next to me sat a sexagenarian. Suddenly his eyes rolled towards my thigh and being curious he called me. When I looked at him, I realized he was looking at the deep scar on my right thigh, which was accidently visible.

"You seem to have a pretty big scar" He remarked and before I could react, he continued "It looks like a knife mark. Did you ever get into a fight with somebody ?". I sat there stunned for a moment.

I have never looked at the scar in those terms. It has always reminded me to be greatful that God saved me from a deadly accident. However the preconceived questions shattered me to a large extent. I responded to it by saying that it was an accident and continued with the accident story focussing more on the part where I was a helpless victim of a careless driving. I did it to earn my sympathy and change the minds of the people who have misjudged me.

The more I think about these events, the crucifixion of Jesus becomes such a reality to me.

Thinking about a person who went about doing good, healing the sick, raising the dead and giving sight to the blind, now being condemned to death on a cross.

The only person who sympathized with him saying "He has done no wrong" was a person who hung with Him on the other cross. His own followers ran away from Him. All the leaders mis-understood Him and wrongly judged Him and condemned Him.

Isaiah 53, a chapter which I used to read daily, when in the hospital says about Jesus: "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth".

The victorious resurrection says it all that there is hope because His followers turned bold again. Still the scars remain and forever they say how much You love me[Mercy Me.]