Philippians 1:12
But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
When we fall down, how quick are we to get up and shake it off without anyone noticing? You know what I'm talking about? You are walking out in the yard, all alone, and your foot slips into a hole or trip on a rock. You jump back onto your feet as quick as possible, and scan the area to see if anyone saw you. It could be that you cut your flesh or had a surgery before that has left a scar. Now you spend so much time trying to cover up the scar. For some reason we don't want people to know that we have fallen or that we have scars.
The Word of God tells us about Paul and the things he suffered for the Gospel. But God wants us to understand that the things he went through were to strengthen him. Many of us would just see the persecution he went through as a strengthener, but what about the life he lived even before Christ? Sin can scar your mind and body. I have scars in my mind and upon my body because of the sin before and after I gave my life to Jesus. I am forgiven of all sin I committed, but I still bear the scars and effects from those sins. But like Paul, understand that I don't dwell on if because God has forgiven me of them, I confess every fall, and every persecution for the furtherance of the Gospel.
Why do we hide our scars? Why do we hide our sins? The Bible tells us that, "Blessed is the man who confesses his sins". We have spent countless hours on covering our scars from sin, when the world needs to see that we have fallen, that ALL have fallen. Don't misunderstand me...we should not wear our scars as badges of honor, but as an opportunity to share what Jesus has saved us from. Too many want to sit and brag on the life they lived without Jesus, and that isn't the Gospel. We were cut, bruised, battered and scarred up from sin, but they are healed by Jesus.
You know why we have healing from our wounds of sin? Because Jesus died on the cross. He bears the scars today because of sin, and the greatest thing is... He never sinned. It was our sin. It is our sin that He has forgiven and healed us from.
Share what Jesus has done for you today with someone. Reveal the scars from falling with humility. Sharing the Gospel is what we are called to do, but don't ever forget that we must SHOW the Gospel. (Not as hero wounds, but as humility and through the message of Jesus)
