Old and Scarred

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;

 the old has gone the new has come!

2 Corinthians 5:17

How long had it been lying there? No way to tell, but surely long enough to be scarred almost beyond recognition. It looked like a penny so I picked it up. Even illegible, I knew that its message remains true: In God We Trust. As I held it and turned it over, I could imagine the many times that it had been run over, dropped, dragged, and scraped on the asphalt. But it was still a penny.

My new friend in Christ was still on duty as a waitress. As she joined me I handed her this old rough penny. She recognized that it was a penny, but could not read the message In God We Trust.

What a privilege to share with her the truth on that old coin. Our God is still trustworthy, loving us even when our lives are scarred. Her life, like mine, has many scars. But now, she is realizing that God loves her. He has a plan for her life. As she follows him in worship, prayer, commitment, and service, she too will become the beautiful woman that God wants her to be.

Do the scars in my life hold me back from sharing how God has been faithful through the years? Do I fear that if people really knew me they would steer away from me? I am learning that with Christian friends, there is love, forgiveness, and support.

What are the scars in your life? God uses our scars to teach us what real love is. No matter how old, dirty, and scarred, there is a place for us in His kingdom. Have you given everything to Him? If not, turn to Him, surrender, and be blessed. He will love you. His best work is in scarred lives.

Lynda S.