Fromthedock,themothergrabbedherlittleboybythearmsjustasthealligatorsnatchedhislegs.Thatbegananincredibletug-of-warbetweenthetwo.Thealligatorwasmuchstrongerthanthemother,butthemotherwasmuchtoopassionatetoletgo.Afarmerhappenedtodriveby,heardherscreams,racedfromhistruck,tookaimandshotthealligator.
Remarkably,afterweeksandweeksinthehospital,thelittleboysurvived.Hislegswereextremelyscarredbytheviciousattackoftheanimaland,onhisarms,weredeepscratcheswherehismother』sfingernailsdugintohisfleshinherefforttohangontothesonsheloved.
Thenewspaperreporterwhointerviewedtheboyafterthetrauma,askedifhewouldshowhimhisscars.Theboyliftedhispantlegs.Andthen,withobviouspride,hesaidtothereporter；Butlookatmyarms.Ihavegreatscarsonmyarms,too.Ihavethembecausemymomwouldn『tletgo.
YouandIcanidentifywiththatlittleboy.Wehavescars,too.No,notfromanalligator,oranythingquitesodramatic.But,thescarsofapainfulpast.Someofthosescarsareunsightlyandhavecausedusdeepregret.But,somewounds,myfriend,arebecauseGodhasrefusedtoletgo.Inthemidstofyourstruggle,He『sbeenthereholdingontoyou.TheScriptureteachesthatGodlovesyou.IfyouhaveChristinyourlife,youhavebecomeachildofGod.Hewantstoprotectyouandprovideforyouineveryway.
Butsometimeswefoolishlywadeintodangeroussituations.Theswimmingholeoflifeisfilledwithperil,andweforgetthattheenemyiswaitingtoattack.That』swhenthetug-of-warbegins—andifyouhavethescarsofhisloveonyourarms—bevery,verygrateful.
幾年前的一個炎炎夏日，在美國佛羅里達州南部，有個小男孩為貪圖涼快，決定去自家房子後面一個形成已久的深水潭中游泳。
因為迫不及待地想投入到清涼的水中，他飛快地從後門跑了出去，邊跑邊脫掉鞋子、襪子和襯衣，把它們隨手拋在了身後。他一頭扎進了水裡，絲毫沒有意識到自己游往潭中心的同時，一隻美洲鱷也正在朝岸邊游來。小男孩的母親當時在屋子裡透過窗子向外看著，發現那只美洲鱷正向她的孩子步步逼近。她極度驚恐起來，一邊迅速奔向水潭，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。可這時已經無濟於事。他的手勉強剛夠到他的母親，鱷魚也已經接觸到了他。
母親在岸上拚命地拽緊兒子的手臂，而此時美洲鱷也死死地咬住孩子的腿不放。為了爭奪小男孩，母親和鱷魚之間儼然展開了一場讓人難以置信的拔河較量。美洲鱷的力氣顯然要比母親強大得多，但是母親挽救兒子的堅定信念讓她無論如何也絕不放手。就在這萬分危急的關頭，一位農夫恰巧駕車經過，一聽到孩子母親的尖叫便飛速從卡車上跳下，瞄準鱷魚並開槍將其射殺。
值得慶幸的是，經過醫院數周的搶救治療，小男孩居然存活了下來。鱷魚凶殘的襲擊在他的腿上刻下了觸目驚心的傷痕。不僅如此，他的雙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，以至於手指甲都掐入了兒子的肉中所留下的。
事後，這位死裡逃生的小男孩接受了一位報社記者的採訪。當記者問他是否願意讓大家看看他身上的傷疤時，小男孩挽起了自己的褲腿，腿上深深的疤痕暴露無遺。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。這是媽媽不放開我，在救我的時候留下的。」
看了這個小男孩的故事後，人們都能感同身受。其實我們每個人身上都有傷疤。只不過並不是被鱷魚咬的，或任何如此戲劇性事件所造成，而是過往的痛苦經歷所留下的。那些傷疤是如此難看，讓人深感懊悔。但是，我的朋友，你可曾想過有些傷口是一些不想放棄你的人造成的。在你掙扎的過程中，那些愛你的人為了拉住你，才在你身上留下了這些傷疤。
在人生之路上，有時我們會愚蠢地步入危險的境地，全然不知前方是什麼情況。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，因為在你的生命中有人不曾也永遠不會放棄你。
RightBesideYou身邊總有你
Thepassengersonthebuswatchedsympatheticallyastheyoungwomanwiththewhitecanemadeherwaycarefullyupthesteps.Shepaidthedriverandthen,usingherhandstofeelthelocationoftheseats,settledintoone.Sheplacedherbriefcaseonherlapandrestedhercaneagainstherleg.
IthadbeenayearsinceSusan,thirty-four,becameblind.Astheresultofamedicalaccidentshewassightless,suddenlythrownintoaworldofdarkness,anger,frustrationandself-pity.AllshehadtoclingtowasherhusbandMark.
MarkwasanAirForceofficerandhelovedSusanwithallhisheart.Whenshefirstlosthersight,hewatchedhersinkintodespairandhebecamedeterminedtouseeverymeanspossibletohelphiswife.
Finally,Susanfeltreadytoreturntoherjob,buthowwouldshegetthere?Sheusedtotakethebus,butshewasnowtoofrightenedtogetaroundthecitybyherself.MarkvolunteeredtoridethebuswithSusaneachmorningandeveninguntilshegotthehangofit.Andthatisexactlywhathappened.
Fortwoweeks,Mark,militaryuniformfromheadtofeet,accompaniedSusantoandfromworkeachday.Hetaughtherhowtorelyonherothersenses,specificallyherhearing,todeterminewhereshewasandhowtoadapttohernewenvironment.Hehelpedherbefriendthebusdriverswhocouldwatchoutforher,andsaveheraseat.
Eachmorningtheymadethejourneytogether,andMarkwouldtakeataxibacktohisoffice.Althoughthatmeanthehadtotravelthroughthecityandtheroutinewascostlyandexhausting,MarkknewitwasonlyamatteroftimebeforeSusanwouldbeabletoridethebusonherown.Hebelievedinher.
Finally,Susandecidedthatshewasreadytotrythetriponherown.Mondaymorningarrived.Beforesheleft,sheembracedherhusbandtightly.Hereyesfilledwithtearsofgratitudeforhisloyalty,hispatience,andhislove.Shesaidgoodbyeand,forthefirsttime,theywenttheirseparateways.Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,ThursdayEachdayonherownwentperfectly,andawildgaietytookholdofSusan.Shewasdoingit!Shewasgoingtoworkallbyherself!
OnFridaymorning,Susantookthebustoworkasusual.Asshewasexitingthebus,thedriversaid,「Miss,Isureenvyyou.」Curious,Susanaskedthedriverwhy.
「Youknow,everymorningforthepastweek,afinelookinggentlemaninamilitaryuniformhasbeenstandingacrossthecornerwatchingyouwhenyougetoffthebus.Hemakessureyoucrossthestreetsafelyandhewatchesyouuntilyouenteryourofficebuilding.Thenheblowsyouakiss,givesyouasaluteandwalksaway.Youareoneluckylady,」thebusdriversaid.