Bible Text: 1 Peter 2:24 | Speaker: Dr. Harold J. Sala | Series: Guidelines For Living | He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24
Charles Cooke writes of a conversation that takes place between a man and God, and what he said expresses the feelings of a lot of people. It goes like this: “I’ve seen a number of movies lately, Lord, like Romeo and Juliet. The love of young people, at least in these movies, is beautiful…so simple…so total…so uncomplicated. They seem so natural, so free in their feelings, I wish I could be like that, Lord.
“But I can’t be. I’ve been hurt, Lord. I have trusted and been betrayed at times. I have loved and received nothing in return. I have tried hard to care and failed often. I have shared my secrets and heard them whispered to others. I have asked forgiveness and heard no response. I have been warm and received a cold shoulder. I’ve been through it, Lord. I’ve fallen on my face. I’ve banged my shins. I’ve been bruised. Look Lord, I’m all covered with scars.”
And then the Lord speaks: “Maybe you haven’t understood enough. Maybe you haven’t learned that human life is like that. All saints are scarred. Young love isn’t the highest form of human love. The greatest love comes from scarred people. I know that many people stop loving so they won’t be hurt again, but those people who do start over again, who continue in spite of all, who leave themselves open to the possibility of being hurt again, these people are able to love in a deeper way, a more understanding way, a richer way…”
The man ponders the words of God and says, “I think I know what you mean, Lord. I’ve met people like that and knowing them gives me courage. The great people are those who continue to love with all their scars. I like scarred people, Lord. They are beautiful…”
Charles Cooke points out the problem that a lot of people face. How do you love when your love has been rejected? How do you confide in others when your confidence has been betrayed? How do you forgive when your attempt to bring healing is only rejected? Do you turn your back on the world and stop loving because your love has been rejected? Do you grow bitter and empty because your plea for forgiveness and restitution has been rejected? Or do you go on loving, and forgiving, and reaching out to others?
Some, of course, are hurt and begin to withdraw into the shell hesitant, fearful, reluctant. “Once burned, twice shy” as the saying goes. Others remember the example of our Lord and keep on reaching out to others and up to God.
Those who pull in the bridges to their soul and begin to build little walls around themselves, trying to insulate themselves from loss and hurt, begin to die a little bit each day. You may have been hurt; so was Christ. You may have loved and instead of seeing your love returned, it was spurned. Learn to love again. You may have tried and failed; then try again, because anyone can quit.
It is through our failures that we learn patience, and through our rebuffs that we learn compassion, and through suffering we become partakers of Christ’s suffering. The crushed flower is the most fragrant, and the rose that has no thorns is really no rose at all.
Christ not only gave us an example, but He also gives us the power and strength to go and do God’s will. Remember, we will never face a situation more difficult than that which confronted Him, so we can learn to say with the Apostle Paul, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). Certainly God knows when you have been hurt, and I hope that you let His love gradually fill the empty spot in your heart.
Resource reading: 2 Corinthians 4
