She steps atop a shipping box to get a better view of herself. Head tilts upward, chin juts out, all for a better look at the ragged band aid and peeling butterfly strips."Bo bo," she says matter of factly, pointing at the girl in the glass.
Sunday evening after church, Amelia somehow fell and broke open her chin on the side of the tub. Gripper mats just aren't enough for a girl who thinks she can fly, set new world speed records, and do everything else her big brother does.
A trip with daddy to the after hours clinic, a nurse named Jennifer who knew Boo Boo Bunny by name, a drop or two of glue, and instructions to not let her sweat for three days...and we had survived Amelia's second bloody accident in the past year.
On Tuesday, she tipped forward 6 inches while playing with a truck, and the unhealed would cracked open again, blood drops falling on my new concrete porch.
It's genetic. Like mother, like daughter, both of us with scars on our chins. Mine, an almost invisible white line even my husband didn't know about until this past Sunday. Hers, an angry red gash covered by thin, tender skin.
What has been so surprising this week, though, is the number of people who have told me of similar scars on their chins from some childhood mishap.
My mother in law's was caused by a ketchup bottle. My best friend and her husband's matching chin scars? A meeting with an unyielding tub. Mine? Contact with a wooden floor while playing with a plastic choo choo train. My mom, a lady at church...the list goes on and on.
Under the chin is really a hidden spot. But many of these people I know more than just on a first name basis...I've sat close enough to see the individual pores on their faces. I've hugged their necks and kissed their cheeks. And still, the scars were invisible to me.
It makes me wonder if I could have seen them if I had looked hard enough. Or are they just truly invisible?
And that leads me to thoughts of ministering to others in the name of Jesus--a topic we dealt with this past Wednesday night at church. How can I adequately minister, meet their needs when the scars are invisible even when I really look?
I know "show them the love of Jesus" is the pat answer. But I also know that each of us bears different kinds of scars...and that each of us needs different expressions of love to heal.
I wonder sometimes if we can just assume they're there? Odds are pretty good of it, anyway. The trick I suppose is to learn to help lift the person's chin a little so we can see better.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful look at this. And hoping Amelia's chin is healing well.
Oh to see through His eyes!
ReplyDeleteI love what Lyla said about lifting the person's chin.
Yes--Lyla has such a way with words. :-) Amelia's chin is obviously getting better because she's refusing to keep on the band aid. My guess is it's itching.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if God gives those of us with scars the ability to identify some scars better than others -- particularly when we've faced the same kind of hurts.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's another beautiful trait of the Body ... this ability to "see" and comfort those who've faced the kind of pain that we've endured before. (2 Cor 1:4)