Somebody With Skin On

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Yesterday Ray and I remembered a story we heard so long ago that neither of us remember all the details. It might be true, but it might have simply been a story to teach a point. Either way it is a story that has stuck with me for decades. This is the gist of it:

A little boy’s mother died. After that he wanted to sleep with his father. His father told him that God was with him, but the little boy told his daddy, “I want someone with skin on.”

We know that God is our Heavenly Father Who takes perfect care of us. We are not faithless sinners when we need someone with skin on. God gave us the wonderful gift of senses. We can taste our mama’s biscuits, touch our baby’s toes, hear our daddy’s voice, see our daughter’s smile, and smell her freshly-washed hair.

Making biscuits in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, July 1939.
Photo by Lee Russell. Courtesy Library of Congress.

God also gave us people. While I am deeply grateful that I live in a day of texts and emails and Facetime and Zoom, I know that there are times when there is simply no substitute for “someone with skin on.”

Our precious Father in Heaven, Who cares for every detail of our lives, sent His Son to Earth as “Someone with skin on.” While Jesus was here, He used His powerful and gentle touch to bless people. When He went back to Heaven, He left us the job of using our own touch to bless others.

Enjoy every day that God gives you to be His ambassador with skin on for your children.

And they were bringing children to Him
so that He might touch them;
but the disciples rebuked them. 
But when Jesus saw this,
He was indignant and said to them,
“Permit the children to come to Me;
do not hinder them;
for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 
Truly I say to you,
whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it at all.” 
And He took them in His arms
and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.
Mark 10:13-16

 

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