Beautiful Scars

Luke 4:36-49
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This devotion started off with the author telling a story. A few years ago, he was hiking when he saw pine trees that had their bark stripped off. Remembering what a friend had said, the Natives that used to hunt in the area would peel the bark off, and use the layer underneath for gum to chew on. Despite the ugliness of the stripped bark, due to the crystallized sap, wind and weather that impacted the area, the stripped bark transforms into a pattern of beauty. 


Wouldn't it be crazy that if sin, something so bad, so ugly, so horrendous, was actually turned into beauty? Well, nothing is impossible with God. If we bring our sins, our transgressions and burdens to God, repent and allow Christ to work in our lives, we too, like the pine trees, can leave behind marks of beauty. 


The devotion states clearly how this is done:
"Some people, having tasted the bitterness of sin, now loathe it. They hate evil and love righteousness. Theirs is the beauty of holiness.

Others, knowing how far they fall short, have tender hearts toward others. They rise up with understanding, compassion, and kindness when others fail. Theirs is the beauty of humility."

But there's also a figure in the Bible that has been transformed because of Christ. She lived a past of sin; she was described as "a woman who had lived a sinful life." The Pharisee could not understand the compassion Jesus had on her, and even questioned it to himself. But because of the mercy and love Jesus had for her, he forgave her sins, leading him to say a statement that even I understand so clearly.

"Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." [Luke 7:47]

Sinners who are forgiven much understand the love that Jesus showed them. Theirs is the beauty of love. At times, people will not be able to comprehend the forgiveness of Christ because they are forgiven little; they do not understand love because Christ is love. The woman has sinned lots, but because she was forgiven even more, she understood the love Jesus had when he stretched his arms out for us on that cross. 

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A forgiven heart is the fountain of beauty.