Bolt 45’s IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to
halfway down. 15 squats halfway to full
down. 15 full squats.
Cherry Pickers – 15 IC
Mosey .48 miles to Food Lion Shopping
Center
The Thang
Pax
performed a quick Mike Tyson set of 7’s in the alley between Walgreens and
Dollar Tree utilizing a bear crawl to traverse the distance between the walls. Once complete Pax went right at a set of
Doracides which is identified in the Exicon as follows: Two Pax worked together to reach exercise reps of 100, 200,
300, & 400 of 4 different exercises.
One Pax worked on the exercises while the second Pax completed suicides
to three designated waypoints. The extra
twist is at the waypoint of each suicide run; the Pax completed 1 burpee, then
2 burpees, and finally 3 burpees before returning to the starting point. Once all three suicide sprints were
completed, the Pax switched stations until all reps of each exercise were
completed. The exercises completed are
as follows: 100 American Hammers, 200
Merkins, 300 LBC’s, & 400 squats.
Mosey .48 miles back to CHOP
F3 Message
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers. Specific prayers were lifted up for Lisa, Doubtfire, Briggs Family, and Aaron.
“I only had 24 hours in Athens, Greece. Well, what am I going to do? Well, I knew what I wanted to see – the Acropolis, and there it is. It’s on this hill that dominates the city, and it’s there that the ancient Greeks built this incredible temple to their goddess Athena. Even after 20 centuries, I have to tell you, it’s still an impressive, imposing structure and it still dominates the city. The Acropolis was the most sacred, most protected, most honored place in all of Athens. In fact, it was a serious crime to violate that temple, as it was in many ancient cultures. Hey, everybody knew the temple got first class treatment because the gods live there.
I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A
Word With You today about “Temple Treasure.”
Now, those ancient worshippers had the wrong
God, but in a way they had the right idea about His temple. It was in the time
of those temples and ancient deities that Paul wrote our word for today from
the Word of God in 1 Corinthians 6:19- 20.
Here’s what he says, “Do you not know that
your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received
from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God
with your body.” Now Paul is presenting here one of Christianity’s most
revolutionary and most shocking ideas. If you belong to Jesus Christ, you are
the building God lives in!
And even pagan people knew that the way you take
care of your god’s dwelling place tells a lot about how you feel about your
god. If you know Christ, you are God’s two-legged temple! You don’t have to go
to Greece to see a temple – all you have to do is look in the mirror! So
everything you do with that body of yours, God is part of. Everything you do to
that body, in a sense, you do to God.
So the question is: Are you treating your body
like the temple treasure that it is? If you really care about the God you say
you love, you won’t let His temple run down, get overweight, get abused by an
eating disorder, or get all out of shape. Ancient pagans knew you had to keep
the temple in good condition because your temple advertises what your god is
like. That’s what you and I do with the body that His Holy Spirit has come to
live in. Maybe you’re devaluing that temple God lives in with the junk you put
in it, or by playing around sexually, using His temple to satisfy your glands
or your curiosity. Do you know who lives in the body you’re doing that with?
The Holy Spirit of God.
It isn’t smart to junk up God’s temple. It isn’t
smart to misuse God’s temple. That’s what the moneychangers found out when they
were abusing God’s temple in Jesus’ day – when His temple was a building. It’s
one of the few places in the Bible where Jesus is really angry. He physically,
angrily goes after those who have messed up the place that is God’s dwelling.
Today, that’s your body, and Jesus doesn’t like it when you junk up His temple.
It matters what you do with His temple; what you put into it, how you treat it. The reason it matters to Jesus so much – what you do with that body of yours – with that temple of yours – is that He paid for you with His blood. You were, remember, “bought at a price.” And that price was Jesus’ life. He has a right to expect that the body His Spirit has moved into will be kept very special for Him.”
Respectfully Submitted,
Fireplex
MUPPET LEGS – Compliments of Bolt 45’s, Mike Tyson’s, & Doracides !
Bolt 45’s IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down. 15 squats halfway to full down. 15 full squats.
Cherry Pickers – 20 IC
Mosey .5 miles to that darn hill
again….:)…
The Thang
Q revisited the beatdown that could
not be completed on last Q opportunity.
We started with the exercises originally slated for the descending evolutions
of the hill climbing portion of the beatdown….but we decided to start back at
10 instead of 5 where we had left off last time….:)……PAX completed 10 Burpees,
10 Squats, 10 Merkins & 10 Big Boys.
Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 9 Burpees, 9 Squats, 9
Merkins, & 9 Big Boys. Dragon Crawl
up & mosey down and complete 8 Burpees, 8 Squats, 8 Merkins, & 8 Big
Boys. Nur up the hill and mosey down and
complete 7 Burpees, 7 Squats, 7 Merkins, & 7 Big Boys. Boo Boo Bear Crawl up the hill and mosey down
and complete 6 Burpees, 6 Squats, 6 Merkins & 6 Big Boys. Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 5
Burpees, 5 Squats, 5 Merkins, & 5 Big Boys.
Mosey .5 miles back to CHOP
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.
F3 Message 11/12/19
LAST-SECOND VICTORIES They’re usually some of the most exciting moments in sports: the touchdown or field goal that wins the game with no time left on the clock, that game-winning basket as the final buzzer sounds, or the game-winning home run with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning. Whatever the sport, there is nothing like a sudden victory when victory seems out of reach. It makes the fans go ballistic.
It can be
really nerve-wracking when you’re behind and time is running out, but it’s
really thrilling when a hero pulls it out at the last minute. The longer
someone walks with God, the more they come to appreciate Him as the God of the
last-second victory, the God of the eleventh hour.
The Bible
reveals many names by which God wants us to know Him. One that has meant so
much to so many for so long is the name Jehovah-jireh. It means, “The Lord
will provide.” You may be facing a need or situation right now where that
is literally your only hope – that the Lord will provide. Maybe it’s a job, a
friend, the funds, the person, the answer, the house, the healing, or the
breakthrough you need.
There is
a rock-solid promise in Philippians 4:19 that “God will
meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
God’s supply has nothing to do with what’s happening in the economy, in the
news, at work, or in what your resources can do. It’s all about His unlimited
“Jesus-account” in heaven, which transcends every limitation earth
has.
God
sometimes waits a while to meet that need. That’s when we tend to panic, to
come up with some desperate way to meet the need on our own, or to abandon our
trust in God because we think He’s taking too long. That takes us right out of
the will of God and aborts what God was going to do.
It’s
in Genesis 22 that God is known as
Jehovah-jireh for the very first time. We can learn a lot from how He worked
that day for Abraham. Abraham had, by faith, obeyed God’s direction to take the
son God had once promised to him, climb Mt. Moriah with him, and sacrifice his
son – as God Himself would do one day when Jesus died on the cross.
Believing
that God will somehow provide something Abraham can’t imagine, Abraham promises
his servants that both he and his son Isaac will return from the
mountain. Genesis 22:10 says his faith and
obedience went so far that “he reached out his hand and took the knife to
slay his son.” At the very last moment, God stopped him and showed Abraham
a ram, stuck in a thicket, who would be sacrificed instead of his son. The Bible
says, “So Abraham called that place, ‘The Lord Will Provide.'”
Jehovah-jireh made His move when there was no time left.
Now,
about your need. God loves to come through for us when there is absolutely no
place else that answer could come from, and there is no time left on the clock.
It’s 11:59 and the buzzer is about to sound. God shows up with His provision at
a time and in a way that will blow you away, that will give Him all the glory,
that will show the people around you the greatness of God, and that will take
you to a whole new level of faith and worship.
Have
faith in God. God’s last-minute victories are some of the most awesome moments
of your life. The greater the need and the later the hour, the more amazing
God’s work on your behalf is going to be. Hang in there until the end of the
game, because that is when God really does His stuff!
Lovely 22 degree morning greeted HIMs at the CHOP. Little known fact (since she never told anyone her age): Wildwing’s Mom would be 100 years old today.
WARM-O-RAMA: Side Straddle Hop, Imperial Walker, Windhills, Cherry Picker, Morrocan Night Club (IC x 20)
Stage I: CHOP circuit run
Stage II: Thirty and Ten Workout: Intense exercise for 30 seconds followed by 10 second recovery
Firefighter, Knee Crunch, Glute Bridge, Bike Crunch, High Knees, Reverse Crunch, Mountain Climber, Windshield Wiper, One Leg Bridge Crunch, Spiderman Crunch Standing Side Crunch
Stage III: Lt. Dan’s with blocks
Stage 4: Thirty and Ten Workout Repeated
Third F: The theme was Leadership and Elections. Once upon a time, the President faced dismal reelection prospects because the country had largely lost faith in his Administration. Losses in the Wilderness and in the Crater Massacre outside Petersburg were astounding. Lincoln met quietly with Grant and warned that he should expect McClelland to be elected President within months. A few weeks later, Sherman entered Atlanta and Lincoln was reelected.
Query: How often do Presidents (or any leader) display the following qualities that help define an ethical leader?
Justice
Respect for others
Honesty
Humane treatment of others
Commitment to team building
Value driven decision making
Intolerance of unethical behaviors
These are not the easiest standards to uphold and Lincoln, like all HIMs, certainly missed here and there. Nonetheless, it is still worth aiming high even when we fall short.
NUMBER-RAMA, NAME-O-RAMA
COT – BOT
Friends facing medical diagnoses and nephews on deployment along with any number of requests that were unspoken over the years.
Seven PAX broke the Fartsack chains and won THAT FIRST BATTLE to brave the polar vortex, which brought a 30 degree temp drop since yesterday’s workout. Those who took on today’s Gloom repeatedly jumped “into the void” for an ab beatdown at the hands of YHC.
The plan was to stay put on the AO’s home court, however, the stiff winds not only moved us during the warmup, but also the workout. During the warmup PAX were moved to behind the screens on the tennis courts…
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH – 18 IC
SwartzJacks – 18 IC
Crab-flippers – 10 IC
Imperial Walkers – 18 IC
Prison Squats – 18 IC
The stiff wind, along with 24 degree temps, forced us to take a short mosey downtown to a beatdown sheltered by surrounding buildings, so off we went…
THE THANG:
PAX were circled up where the following beatdown instructions were received: The middle of the circle will be called “The Void,” 1 PAX would be in the void, executing 10 Burpees, while PAX on the outside of the circle would execute, IC, AMRAP Ab exercise pulled on the card. PAX would rotate strictly voluntarily to jump into the void. PAX executed the following random ab exercises as written on the cards:
Crab Cakes
Box Cutters
Gas Pumpers
American Hammers
E2K’s
Freddie Mercury
Protractor (10-Counts)
Big Boys (Feet interlocked)
Half Pumpers
Side Planks (10-Counts)
Not-So-Lazy-Boys (10 Counts)
Dying Cockroaches
Heel Touches
X’s & O’s
Flutter Kicks – lots of extras here, read below
After first round thru with each PAX rotating into the void for Burpees, the following 3rdF was shared:
Quote I read recently from a GORUCK selection IG post: “HE WHO JUMPS INTO THE VOID OWES NO EXPLANATION TO THOSE WHO STAND AND WATCH.”
We’ve all come across those in life who stand and watch. But we are not those; we know we cannot afford to be. No man can. Instead we’re leaders, we’re those who have jumped into the void (or are prepared to do so at a moments notice, at first call) we’re those who are HIM! And HIM, by definition, jump into the void.
Teddy Roosevelt referred to the same idea when he said, “THE CREDIT BELONGS TO THE MAN WHO IS ACTUALLY IN THE ARENA; WHOSE FACE IS MARRED BY THE DUST AND SWEAT AND BLOOD; WHO STRIVES VALIANTLY…WHO, AT WORST, IF HE FAILS, AT LEAST FAILS WHILE DARING GREATLY; SO THAT HIS PLACE SHALL NEVER BE WITH THOSE COLD AND TIMID SOULS WHO KNOW NEITHER VICTORY NOR DEFEAT.”
In the Bible, when the Lord said to Joshua, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go,” he was calling Joshua to the enormous, overwhelming, fear-inducing task of leading Israel into the Promised Land. He called Joshua to jump into the void, into the arena! In that very moment Joshua had to make the decision, as Kyle Carpenter writes, “On behalf of Future You (actually in his case future Israel, my emphasis). You know that Present You is probably going to have to deal with a little more discomfort or inconvenience right now, but long-term, you will be grateful for the choices you made today. You don’t want merely to hope for better days ahead, you want to take the steps necessary to ensure them.” (You Are Worth It, 229)
Our workouts are preparation, a small microcosm of this, an incubator, if you will, but it applies to all of life. You may be “nudging, creeping, or stumbling forward because it’s the only option you have: forward or backward,” but you’ve jumped into the void, you’re in the arena getting sweaty, marred, and bloodied—but YOU’RE STRIVING, not standing and watching!
“Even when there’s no reason in the world to continue, you’re making decisions that take away your own excuses to quit (every one of them) because you know how it would affect the way you carried yourself afterward. And once you make those kinds of choices to continue, you find it easier to make them again and again.” (Adapted: Ibid. 231, 261, 262)
So, what’s God calling you to do? How might this bare out personally? In the very least, refuse to align with being a cold and timid soul: Be a HIM in your home, in your workplace, and in the communities in which you serve! Maybe God’s even calling you to something additional, seemingly enormous, like Joshua? Whatever it is, dare greatly and jump into the void, because “HE WHO JUMPS INTO THE VOID OWES NO EXPLANATION TO THOSE WHO STAND AND WATCH”!
PAX returned to the COP for Round 2: Instead of Burpees, this time the PAX who jumped into the void would either Plank or Chilcutt for 1 minute (timed). PAX outside the void cycled through the same Ab cards. Only detour taken was an extra long set of Flutter Kicks at the hands of Leatherman (and the finicky timer on YHC’s phone).
Mosey return to the home court
NUMBER-RAMA:
NAME-O-RAMA:
COT/BOM:
Announcements: F3 First State Christmas Gathering location up for grabs, somebody act quickly so we can plan. Wanna host? Contact Chappie
Prayers: Aaron (Chappie’s nephew deployed), Danielle Briggs (facing cancer), Denny (Chairman’s dad, praise for good test results), Doubtfire, etc.
What a brisk morning it was, lots of work but no sweat–to cold to sweat. Honored to have the privilege to bring the beatdown at the Primis AO and to be able to share a 3rd Word with the PAX. A principle tested is a principle proven (F3 workouts are always outdoors, rain or shine, hot or cold). YHC appreciates all the PAX who braved the elements prove the principle on this very cold and very windy gloom! Aye!
Mosey 1/4 mile, Kerioke both sides, side hop both sides.
25 Merkins
25 squats
25 LBCs
Mosey around corner to side alley
Ascending Curb Crawl Locate PAX on quite curbed street. Starting position Bear Crawl facing opposite curb. BC to other side, turn & place feet on curb to complete one Derkin, crawl back and complete two Derkins, continue to 13. Jack Webb’s promiscuous cousin.
F3 message was done here (complete message below)
Mosey around the corner to the Local church field where we partnered up and completed B.O.M.B.S
25 Burpees each
50 Overhead claps
75 merkins
100 Big Boy sit-ups (modified to LBCs for time)
125 squats (didn’t have enough time)
While one partner did their part of the routine the other partner NUR’d across the church field (approx. 50 yards) and sprinted back. Each HIM completed exercises until all were completed before switching to the next exercise.
Mosey back to the AO. approx. 1/4 mile where we circled up for Number-0-Rama, Name- o – Rama
Please keep praying for our Brother Doubtfire, for a speedy recovery and for unspoken prayer requests!!
Also, keep Chappies nephew lifted up in prayer as well for protection and guidance while he is overseas serving our Country!!
Great push today men!!
3rd F.
You version devotional
To live in the light is to center our lives wholly
around its only true source: Jesus. Jesus powerfully declares in John
8:12, “I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” As
those committed to following Jesus, we are constantly being led by him into the
light. He is constantly beckoning us away from the darkness of this world and
calling us to a life centered around him and his kingdom.
In and of ourselves, we have no light. Left to our own
devices, we would live our entire lives in darkness, void of the abundance of
joy and peace available to us in God. But through Jesus the light has come. The
Holy Spirit now dwells within us, the glory of God in the hearts of men. If we
will simply surrender our lives to God and the light he brings, we will
experience a life of freedom and joy founded in his unconditional love. If we
will choose to place Jesus at the center of all we do and who we are, we will
receive mighty deliverance from the constraints and bonds of darkness.
You see, the path out of darkness always begins by
looking to the light. We can’t escape darkness if darkness is all we’re looking
toward. We can’t escape sin by just focusing on it and trying to fix it, heal
it, or set ourselves free. Freedom comes by turning our attention to the God
who conquered sin and death and fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of our faith.
2 Corinthians 4:6 says, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our
hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
Jesus Christ.” The light of God is within you. Your life as a
Christian is hidden in Christ. The darkness will not overcome you. Your freedom
has come in the person of Jesus. The love of God is real, available, and
powerful enough to set you free from whatever darkness entangles you.
Turn your attention fully toward Jesus today. Center
your life around his loving-kindness. Open your ears and heart to this good God
who would lay down his life to save yours. Follow him wherever he guides you in
full faith that he will only ever lead you into more abundant life. Cease
striving for your own freedom and wrap your life up in Jesus that he might be
your great deliverer, healer, and source of comfort and strength.
God has abundant grace in store for you today if you
will simply position yourself to receive it. Take time in guided prayer to reflect
on the light that has come through Jesus, turn your attention completely toward
him, and receive the freedom and healing that comes from union with the God of
light.
PAX: Chairman(Q), Chappie, Chattahoochee, Fireplex, Gump, Leatherman, Quatro, Semi, Vanilla, Wild Wing & Special Guest: Ryan Mavity (Cape Gazette)
Warmups: All In Cadence 18 SSH 20 Moroccan Night Clubs 18 Windmills 18 shell pickers
The Thang: Bring Sally Up Merkin Challenge (lots of complaining and grunting!).
Mosey to drawbridge. Toy Soldier Set: 35 LBCs 20 E2Ks 15 Big Boys.
Bear Bridge: Crawl bear up bridge incline, Ltnt Dan across deck, Bear Crawl down bridge. 10 count. Nur up bridge incline, Ltnt Dan across deck, crab walk down bridge. 10 count.
Mosey back to Primis. F3 Message:https://f3nation.com/2019/04/06/mammon-q1-9/
The Thang 2: Abbreviated version of William Wallace. Pax in 4 Corners of BBall Court: 3 in 2 corners & 2 in 2 corners (Thanks Chattahoochee!). Half Pax run to middle and do 10 Burpees while other half plank. Pax in middle run back when done and switch. All Pax to middle for 25 American Hammers IC.
Number-O-Rama and Name-O-Rama. https://youtu.be/VssjeqmRUjs
COT prayers for Chappie nephew Aaron overseas, Danielle Briggs and family as she battles cancer, Vanilla & Summit brother-in-law Jay (pancreatitis), Chairman’s Dads upcoming tests.
The Thang, nice friendly mosey to the fro t yard of Georgetown middle school and started off there with a round of BLIMPS
5 burpees (handrelease)
10 lunges each leg
15 imperial walkers (4 count)
20 Merkins
25plank Jack’s
30 squats
Then we near crawled to the first sidewalk for a super toy soldier set
50LBCs, 30E2Ks each side, 20 big boys
Lt. Dan to next sidewalk for 30 hand release merkins.
Crab walk to next sidewalk for 20 Bobby hurleys.
Mosey back to beginnings for a few capt thors 1:4 ratio big boys to american hammers only went to 5/20. After this we took a short break for a little 3rd F followed by another Mosey to Georgetown Armory steps for a round of Aiken legs 20 Squats, 20 box jumps, 20 lunges each leg, 20 split Jack’s, followed by another set of Capt. thor. Same as the last one followed up by by rinse and repeat on the Aiken Legs. From there we took a mosey to the front pad of Georgetown fire company for a round of Howling monkeys each Pax held their own ankles while we went around circle individually 10 monkey jumpers while all pax held start position. Since we were in front of camera fireplex requested something manly so we added 20 merkins in cadence. Then the one last mosey around the block just in time for 8 mins of mary. To old to remember what all that consisted of but we did get thru 7 pax each adding their own little bit to the ending of the beat down.
Finished up with count-o-rama, name-o-rama and COT.
Pulled the 3rd of from Q source
A man’s right relationship with himself, his fitness begins with his body because it is his most fundamental piece of physical equipment. A man must get it and keep it in the normal upright position at all times if he wants to be effective. In fact because preparedness requires him to be ready for the unexpected. ( not just to get ready for the expected) the him is focused on gradually but consistently accelerating his fitness level rather than merely staying in shape. Staying in shape is what amateurs try to do. These fragile bodies of ours are what we are given to house our souls. Life the thing so precious to each person that he will fight tooth and nail to preserve it. Is contained within this bag of muscle, flesh and bones we call the body. How can the soul prepare if the body withers and wither it will if we dont put it in motion against continually steeper hills and heavier rock. The body is made to be used. Let it fallow and it will not produce a good crop. But if it is well plowed and carefully tended the result will be a bounty of preparedness.
Those who stayed cozy got lapped! Especially those new young guys. What the what? Get upppp! Sorry, not sorry! Nonetheless a dirty dozen HIM started the week by winning THAT FIRST BATTLE and posting for an ad hoc beatdown by YHC. Doubtfire had to back out of his scheduled Q due to his back being tied in knots. Here’s to a recovery day for our brother and a quick return to the rotation. We have so many on the Q rotation that it sometimes feels like you don’t get to Q enough; that’s a good problem to have. YHC was excited to step in.
Never really JUST a standby, YHC went to the Exicon toolbox, pulled out the Bearmuda Triangle, and used it on the PAX. It lived up to its name…we mysteriously lost a PAX along the way (oh, wait, that was only a modification?). Here’s the skinny on the workout:
Warm-O-Rama:
SSH – 18 IC
Crab Flippers (Cherry Pickers on Delmarva) – 18 IC
Swartz Jacks – 18 IC (Uno, dos, tres, QUATTRO!)
Moroccan Night Clubs – 18 IC
Merkins – 18 IC
Patriot Run around the block – nice pace!
3rdF Message shared here – Content posted below
The Thang:
THE Bearmuda Triangle – 3 cones set up in a triangle pattern, 90 feet apart. PAX Bearcrawl from cone to cone, adding 1 Burpee at each cone. 3x around the cone triangle = 45 total Burpees
Two 10-counts later, PAX found themselves on the side wall of the church:
People’s Chair – 10 Count
5 Mexican Jumping Beans, OYO
BTTW – 10 Count
10 Mexican Jumping Beans
People’s Chair – 10 Count, 2x
15 Mexican Jumping Beans
The Jack Webb Finale: (Always a crowd pleaser)
Ratio: 1 Merkin/4 OH Claps all the way up to 10 Merkins/40 OH Claps
Though Leatherman tried to stop us, and stop the pain, we went…a WHOLE 30 secs over :-)’ Nice try brother, nice try!
Count-O-Rama:
COT/BOM:
Announcements: Nuh’in (at least not that YHC remembers)
Prayers: For family of Fireplex’s friend who passed from ALS, Chappie’s nephew (Aaron) who is deployed, for our bro Doubtfire on several different fronts
That was about it. Again, honored by the opportunity to lead. Always enjoy Q’ing. Humbled by it all. Get back soon, Doubtfire.
~Chappie, out!
Scars – 3rdF Content:
The theme of SCARS seems to keep coming up an awful lot in the last few weeks. Scars are often a kind of credential. Each of them has a story.
Kyle Carpenter (MOH recipient) bears some serious scars for jumping on a grenade to save the life of a fellow Marine. He devoted an entire chapter of his book YOU ARE WORTH IT to scars (cf. Ch.13, Don’t Hide Your Scars). In it, he wrote that “scars are a kind of credential”(210). Kyle added this story: “There is a greeter at my local Walmart, an elderly gentleman who always has a cheerful hello for everyone who comes through the door. One day, as I was walking in, he spotted me, flashed his huge grin, and then did finger pistols at me as he playfully asked, ‘Motorcycle wreck?'” I did finger pistols right back at him and replied, ‘Taliban!'”
Later he continued, “I would never encourage anyone to share something they aren’t comfortable sharing. But there are some scars that are so obvious, so apparent, that it is impossible to hide or ignore them. Instead of being ashamed of them, I think there is power in embracing these ‘stories’ that leave their marks on our bodies and souls” (211).
Scars are a kind of credential. They have tremendous power for creating bonds. “Wear them proudly. Wear them for yourself, to honor what you’ve been through. And wear them for others, to connect with them and inspire them to keep on fighting. They reassure others they’re not alone. They give hope that someday, their wounds will become nothing but scars, too” (215).
In 2 Cor. 11, the Apostle Paul shared quite a list of experiences which undoubtedly left him with serious scars. The context of the list was that he was facing off with false teachers who were trying to lead the Corinthians away from the truth. Paul shared the list not to brag about personal experiences, but to express that his heaviest burden of all was for the churches. The best scars are always the ones left from a cause that is bigger than we are! Listen to these verses from 2 Cor. 11:22-29…
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. 24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; 27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?
Had Paul NOT been a true follower of Christ, had he NOT been truly concerned for the church, he would not have experienced (willingly endured) those trials — he would not have borne the scars which those trials inevitably produced — especially the 39 lashes x5! (Btw…that’s 195!).
Scars are a kind of credential. The nail-scarred hands of our Savior are credentials of His unconditional love. Proof that He paid our penalty in the cross. They are further proof that He is alive! Add to that, sometimes some else’s scars remind us we’re living, we’re ALIVE!
This past week you heard about the death of Toby Mac’s (and his wife, Amanda’s) oldest son, Truett, age 21. Toby Mac’s Facebook post was nothing short of phenomenal. In the midst of feeling exceptional pain that will leave exceptional scars, he and his wife, Amanda, were able to inspire others. Here’s how/why: (This is the last paragraph of their post)
Scars in the lives of HIM are a kind of credential. They’re credentials that we ARE unquestionably ALL IN, whether it be in relationship with God, in our families, our churches, our workplaces, or the communities in which we serve. Scars heal and tell a story BECAUSE YOU ARE ALIVE; scars mark you as resilient, tough, and as a survivor! They mark you as a HIM!
