Yesterday some of girls were talking about tattoos; the ones we have, the ones we want, ones other people have. We talked about the meaning behind the tattoos, the style of tattoos we like, and where or why we have placed them where they are. For me all my tattoos have a personal meaning and story behind each of them. I don’t just get one on whim or just because.
At several other times during the day several of the girls told their testimonies. They talked about the things that they have been through, things God has showed them, how they found or now see God in their darkest most painful stories and the scars that are now left on each and every one of their hearts because of the things they have walked trough, words people said to them or didn’t say, and so on.
During worship I heard the Lord say “Tattoos, scars, it’s all the same.” At first you might not think so because a tattoo is something that we have permanently chosen to mark out bodies with and scars are permanent markings of things that have inflicted pain on you, but you did not choose. As you think about it for a little bit longer how many people have tattoos that represent some tragedy they when through, the death of a loved one, reminders that they are never alone, other life lessons learned from painful experiences, or a reminder of hope and love? Most of the people I know have specific personal stories behind their tattoos. So really whether we choose them or not tattoos, scars, it’s all the same. Both inflict some sort of pain on our lives for a little while but then remind us of what we went through and how we overcame.
The beautiful thing about scars is they do not define us but tell the world where we have been. They bring hope. They are reminders of what we came from and the growth in our lives. The lessons learned. Some of the most beautiful tattoos I have seen take hours and hours to complete. It is painful. Your skin is red, raw and tender from the scratching of skin. You bleed. You may even cry. After a few weeks of care, scabbing, and healing you have this beautiful work of art forever on your body. It is the same with people. Some of the most beautiful people I know have been through some terrible things in life. They have been beaten, bruised, and scared. But with a little care, scabbing, and healing they come out even more beautiful.
Scars are a reminder of where we have been but not where we are going. You remember the pain but more so you remember what you learned, how it made you stronger, and how you overcame. I think that is truly beautiful.
