Wednesday, August 24, 2022

“We don’t want you in the dark, friends, about how hard it was when all this came down on us in Asia province. It was so bad we didn’t think we were going to make it. We felt like we’d been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead!” (2 Corinthians 1: 8 -9)

                 “I’m choosing scars.”

                This was the so-called punchline in a recent Pearls Before Swine daily comic strip. Stephan Pastis’ PBS is probably my favourite daily comic strip. It is the Ecclesiastes of the comic strip world in many ways. Its acerbic wit appeals to me. The three main characters are Rat (no fancy names here) who is  the egotistical, sarcastic, self-centred cynic and skeptic. There is also Goat, the ever-hopeful but often disillusioned, suffering optimist. Then, there is Pig, a kind-hearted but simple character who is always looking for a purpose in life, wanting something more, up against the vanities and vagaries of this world. His best answer is usually “cheese”. Or just staying in bed.

                It is Pig who has climbed the hill to ask the “Wise Ass on the Hill”, “is it possible to get through life unscarred?”  The Wise Ass responds “If you take no risks and live a life that’s no life at all.” Afterwards Pig says to Rat, “I’m choosing scars.”

                It is not so much funny as simply poignant.

                No body chooses scars. Nobody asks for bad things to happen to them.  Nobody wants pain, hurt, suffering, heartache, loss, failure, disappointments, or anything of that nature. But they inevitably happen to all of us. No one gets through life unscathed. These moments, events and circumstances leave their permanent mark. They are part of living – along with the many blessings, joys, happy times, victories, celebrations and people who enrich our lives.

                Perhaps, it can be said that the struggles and sufferings can even make the good times shine better, bolder, more brightly although we are unlikely to think that when we are in the middle of the upset.

                The apostle Paul draws our attention to some bad times in his life. “We were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself.” (New Revised Standard Version) That is one deep pit in which Paul found himself. Whereas some Christians think they should never despair and always put on a positive, happy,  blissful face, Paul is being totally honest. He had more than his share of enemies, critics, opponents, accusers, attackers, even jailors and punishers.

                “I’ve worked much harder, been jailed more often, beaten up more times than I can count, and at death’s door time after time. I’ve been flogged five times with the Jews’ thirty-nine lashes, beaten by Roman rods three times, pummeled with rocks once. I’ve been shipwrecked three times, and immersed in the open sea for a night and a day. In hard traveling year in and year out, I’ve had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, struggle with friends, struggle with foes. I’ve been at risk in the city, at risk in the country, endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and betrayed by those I thought were my brothers. I’ve known drudgery and hard labor, many a long and lonely night without sleep, many a missed meal, blasted by the cold, naked to the weather.” (2 Corinthians 11: 23 -27 The Message Bible)

                He is no martyr. Most of us might give up  under far less challenging circumstances. He did not choose this life and what his faith cost him. But he learns that the way through it all is to “trust God totally”. He does not give up. He knows his scars are a powerful testament to his faith and reliance  upon God through Jesus Christ.

“I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!” (Philippians 3: 10 -11, NLT)

Paul’s scars are a part of his journey of faith. So, it is with us. Our emotional, mental, experiential scars are a part of our faithful testimony about our long walk with God. They are deeply painful,  for sure, but  in the hands of Christ’s Resurrection power, we are stronger and more determined, more resilient and more robust in all areas of our living.

“None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.” (Romans 8: 38 -39, The Message)

If not that, then maybe, the answer is “cheese”.

Dale