Scarred

“I alone cannot change the world, but, I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples”

– Mother Theresa

Scars are reminders of painful wounds, often accompanied with feelings of embarrassment and shame over our moment of weakness. If left unattended, deep physical wounds have a dangerous tendency to bleed us to death, while smaller ones can become infected and cause multiple health complications. Over time, these wounds get covered over with a scar tissue, and the pain, that was once ever-present, is slowly forgotten, or suppressed.

We often look at our scars – physical, mental, emotional or spiritual – and wonder why we were wounded. They constantly bring back memories of shame, and helplessness, troubling us with guilt and hurt. Our scars remind us of our horrifying encounter with pain, but can they be pointers to something better? Be it carelessness, negligence, or unfortunate circumstances, we seek a reason, a justification for these wounds, and for many, the compass of blame turns to God. Even as we demand a “Why?” from God, we are drawn to a realization that it could have been worse – we might never have experienced the pain at all.

There is purpose in pain. In his book “The Gift of Pain”, co-authored by Philip Yancey, Dr. Paul Brand, a researcher into the experience of pain, talks about the disease of leprosy that leaves the patient unable to experience any pain. This leads to an inability to gauge the intensity of heat, or even the bite of an insect or animal, which has a drastic effect on the human body. Being unable to experience pain, leprosy patients have lost limbs, and dignity. 

Scars have stories to tell, stories about courage, and resilience, and healing. Listen to Dr. Benjamin Johnson share one such story on being scarred or read the transcript below.

Tell us about your Scar ?

The Scar is on my abdomen it is a reverse ‘L’ shaped scar, it starts from the center and goes on to the right. I got it after the Liver transplant surgery, I was the donor, I got it after I donated a part of my Liver to my father.

What does your scar say about you?

I am a Doctor by profession , this scar reminds me and is a message to everyone out there that you don’t have to be a Doctor or a nurse or any health care professional to save lives. You can be a common man and you can still save lives. This is what it reminds me and is a message to you that anyone can save lives.

How does this scar make you feel?

It actually gives me a sense of satisfaction that I could do something for my father. Because my father even before I was born he had planned for me , my sister and for our family. And since the day I was born he has been carrying out those responsibilities and whatever he had planned so lovingly. So this was a moment in our life as a family where we could stop daddy’s suffering and this was a way to do it. So after having donated a portion of my liver I feel satisfied and content that I could do something for my father.

What would you like to share through your story?

Having a scar shows how amazing God is, how wonderfully and fearfully He has created us. How he has designed even before all the medical advancements, even before all the technology, even before Doctors thought of this procedure – God created us in such a unique and wonderful way, so that our bodies or organs could be shared with someone else. Lord Jesus in the Bible tells us to share or give to others, so this in a way is that sovereign God creating this human body so it can be spent on others.