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 was 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， or anything quite so dramatic. 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.

If you have Christ in your life， you have become a child of God.

He wants to protect you and provide for you in everyway.

But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations. 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 - let you go.

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，決定去自家房子后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，他飛快地從后門跑了出去，邊跑邊脫掉鞋子，襪子和襯衣，把它們隨手拋在了身后。他一頭扎進了水里，絲毫沒有意識到自己游往潭中心的同時，一只美洲鱷也正在朝岸邊游來。

小男孩的母親當時在屋子里透過窗子向外看著，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。可這時已經無濟于事。他的手勉強剛夠到他的母親，鱷魚也已經接觸到了他。

母親在岸上拼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，瞄準鱷魚并開槍將其射殺。

值得慶幸的是，經過在醫院數周的搶救治療，小男孩居然存活了下來。鱷魚兇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，以至于手指甲都掐入了兒子的肉中所留下的。

事后，這位死里逃生的小男孩接受了一位報社記者的采訪。當記者問他是否愿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后，人們都能感同身受。其實我們每個人身上都有傷疤。只不過并不是被鱷魚咬的，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，全然不知前方是什么情況。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。