Anonymous
Some years ago on a hot summer day in south Florida a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house.In a hurry to dive into the cool water,he ran out the back door,leaving behind shoes,socks,and shirt as he went.
He flew into the water,not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake,an alligator was swimming toward the shore.His mother in the house was looking out the window saw the two as they got closer and closer together.In utter fear,she ran toward the water,yelling to her son as loudly as she could.Hearing her voice,the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother.It was too late.Just as he reached her,the alligator reached him.
From the dock,the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs.That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two.The alligator was much stronger than the mother,butthe mother was much too passionate to let go.A farmer happened to drive by,heard her screams,raced from his truck,took aim and shot the alligator.
Remarkably,after weeks and weeks in the hospital,the little boy survived.His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal.And,on his arms,were deep scratches where his mother's fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.
The newspaper reporter,who interviewed the boy after the trauma,asked if he would show him his scars.The boy lifted his pant legs.And then,with obvious pride,he said to the reporter,"But look at my arms.I have great scars on my arms,too.I have them because my Mom wouldn't let go."
You and I can identify with that little boy.We have scars,too.Not from an alligator,but the scars of a painful past.Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret.But,some wounds,my friend,are because God has refused to let go.In the midst of your struggle.He's been there holding on to you.
The Scripture teaches that God loves you.You are a child of God.He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way.But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations,not knowing what lies ahead.The swimming hole of life is filled with peril-and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack.That's when the tug-of-war begins-and if you have the scars of His love on your arms be very,very grateful.He did not and will not ever let you go.
Never judge another person's scars,because you don't know how they were made.
愛的疤痕
佚名
幾年前的一個炎炎夏日，在美國佛羅里達州南部，有個小男孩要去自家房子后面一個形成已久的深水潭中游泳。因為迫不及待地想跳進清涼的水里，他飛快地從后門跑了出去，邊跑邊脫掉鞋子，襪子和襯衣，把它們隨手拋在身后。
他一頭扎進了水里，絲毫沒有意識到自己游往潭中心的同時，一只鱷魚也正朝岸邊游來。小男孩的母親當時在屋子里透過窗子向外看著，發現那只鱷魚正向她的孩子步步逼近。在極度的驚恐中，她一邊向水潭奔跑，一邊聲嘶力竭地朝自己的孩子呼喊著。聽到她的呼喊，小男孩才猛然意識到了危險，立即掉頭向岸邊的母親游去。可為時已晚。他的手勉強剛夠到母親的同時，鱷魚已經追上了他。
在岸上，母親拼命地拽著兒子的手臂，而此時鱷魚也死死地咬住孩子的腿不放。一場母親與鱷魚之間驚心動魄的拔河較量開始了。鱷魚的力氣顯然要比母親大得多，然而母親挽救兒子的信念無比堅定，無論如何也絕不放手。就在這萬分危急的關頭，一個農夫恰巧駕車經過，他一聽到孩子母親的尖叫便飛速從卡車上跳下，瞄準鱷魚并開槍將其射殺。
奇跡般地，經過在醫院一周又一周的搶救治療，小男孩存活了下來。可是他的腿由于鱷魚兇殘的襲擊而傷痕累累。不僅如此，他的手臂上也留下了深深的抓痕，那是在生死關頭母親為了牢牢抓住摯愛的兒子，以至于手指甲都掐入了兒子的肉中所留下的。
意外過后，這位死里逃生的小男孩接受了一位報社記者的采訪。當記者問他是否愿意讓大家看看他身上的傷疤時，小男孩挽起了自己的褲腿，腿上深深的傷疤暴露無遺。緊接著，他滿臉自豪地告訴記者：“大家還是看看我的手臂吧，我的手臂上也有好多傷疤呢。這是媽媽在救我的時候留下的。”
聽了這個小男孩的故事后，我們都會感同身受。其實我們每個人身上都有傷疤。只不過我們的傷疤并不是被鱷魚咬的，或是任何如此戲劇性的事件所造成的，而是過往的痛苦經歷所留下的。有些傷疤不堪入目，帶給我們無盡的懊悔。但是，我的朋友，你可曾想過有些傷口是由于主舍不得你走而造成的。在你掙扎的過程中，主緊緊地抓住了你。
圣經告訴我們：主愛世人。世人是主的孩子。主總想方設法保護你，為你提供一切所需的。然而，在人生之路上，有時我們會稀里糊涂地步入危險的境地，全然不知前方是什么情況。生活的水潭危機四伏——而我們總忘了潛在的敵人在伺機而動。當較量開始的時候——如果你的手臂上有愛的傷疤，你應該心懷感激，他不曾也永遠不會放棄你。
不要輕易對別人身上的疤痕下什么結論，因為那也許是愛的疤痕。
感悟手臂上的疤痕是媽媽救我時留下的，媽媽是我的守護神。