What Defines You?

I've written, briefly, of defining scars before. I hope you won't find me repetitive, but this is the most important lesson I have ever learned, and so I have a strong desire to share it with you.

I have lots of scars. They come from self-injury, sheer clumsiness, surgeries, accidents, and childhood play that got out of hand. There are also the emotional scars left by past loves, well-intentioned family members and friends, death, and just plan mean actions. Then, there are the scars yet to come: my still forming suicide attempt scars, those inevitable emotional scars, and, without a doubt, more scars from sheer clumsiness.

Odds are, you have lots of scars, too. Scars of all kinds, shapes, and sizes.

But here's the cool thing. While our scars help tell our stories, they do not have to define who we are. I have chosen to let someone else's scars define me. Let me tell you my favorite story about him.

This man was a leader, although a controversial one. So, when a woman was caught sleeping around, the other leaders brought her to him to see what he'd say about it. He ignored them, essentially, and told them that any of them who had never done wrong could punish her as he saw fit. None of them could make that claim, and so he told the woman she was free to go. He assigned no punishment. But he told her not to do it again. See, she was guilty, and he knew it. What's more, he had the power and authority to punish her. But he chose to let her go. To give her a second (or third, fourth, fifth?) chance.

Cool guy, right? Many of you have guessed by now that I'm talking about a man named Jesus. (Full story in John 8:1-11). He was brutally murdered by being nailed to a cross (a common punishment at the time, which makes me glad I didn't live back then). The thing is, he was innocent. He had done nothing wrong. He was murdered, essentially, because he made the other leaders uncomfortable (and because he had to, but maybe we'll discuss that later).

Are you getting this? An innocent man, who knew that he'd be killed without cause, chose to let guilty people, like the woman who'd been sleeping around, go free, unpunished, for a second chance. He took their punishment, and then some. Why? Because he was, is, the Son of God, and he wants us to be reunited in Heaven. All you have to do is believe that he came to earth, lived a perfect life, died on the cross, and rose again - all to save you and me from our wrongs, our sins. (See Acts 16:30-31)

His scars define us, not our own. How blood, his scars more than cover mine as well as yours, if you'll let him. Click here to email me if you have questions about this. I don't know much, but I'm willing to talk and to refer you to someone who can answer your questions if I can't. Happy Easter, all!