Scars

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 and 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, but the 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. No, 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.

 Please pass this on to those you love. God has blessed you, so that you
can be a blessing to others. You just never know where a person is in his/her
 life and what they are going through. Never judge another persons scars,
 because you don't know how they got them. Also, it is so important that we
 are not selfish to receive the blessings of these messages without
 forwarding them to someone else. Right now, someone needs to know that God
 loves them, and that you love them too: enough to not let them go.