open wounds

When I was 10 years old I accidentally cut myself at the neighborhood swimming pool with the sharp edge of a swimming mask. Maybe you remember the kind, they had a little nut and bolt on the top that held the glass in.

The cut was on the inside of my right knee. It was deep. Blood and watery looking stuff leaked out of an almost 2 inch gap. Mom wanted me to get stitches. Dad said, "no." It will heal.

We rarely went to the doctor when we were kids. It was too expensive. To this day, if my kids need to go to the doctor, we always go.

The wound did heal eventually, but left untreated, it left a football shaped scar on the inside of my knee. yes it is not on my face, but every time i see that scar, I remember what happened.

Life. Things happen. People are wounded. Sometimes we are participants in it all. What will we do? Hide? Stick our heads in the sand? Pretend like we were not involved?

We humans often hide in times of pain because frankly, we don't know how to heal wounds very well. We are much better at creating them than healing them. Our pride just gets in the way.

Well, we don't want a life long scar, so what should we do in times of painful wounds?

• pray. pray to see your role in the fracture.
• pray. pray for the other parties.
• pray for direction.
• talk. when the emotion has subsided, find a time to sit down and talk
  

The talk has to be a time of listening to the others feelings. It has to include everyone looking for ways to understand their own culpability in the problem. We have to remember that our life mission as Christians always calls us to love one another.

What seems impossible with man, is possible with God. If you are experiencing a fracture, pray. Love. Find the heart of God. Do what you can to reach out to the people on the other side. God makes all things beautiful in his time.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.