When we lived in Dubai, it was quite common to see women carrying designer handbags-Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermès, and other coveted brands. For many, flaunting a branded bag seemed to be more than a fashion statement; it was a lifestyle choice, perhaps even a way of keeping up with societal expectations. The price tags, however, were often staggering!
I, too, have often longed to own one. On several occasions, I wandered through the many luxury boutiques in the famous Dubai Mall, only to walk away after enquiring about the price. I might have loved to own one, but I could never quite bring myself to spend so much money on a handbag. What is it about a brand that makes us momentarily forget the cost? Is it simply about quality and craftsmanship, or is there something deeper at play? Is it an identity issue? Should a brand define who we are?
I remember owning a branded leather handbag by Hidesign many years ago. I remember being told that it was made of genuine leather. I loved that bag! But time has taken its toll. It has lost its sheen and has since been retired to a corner of my shelf, preserved as a memory of a bag I once cherished.
Recently, as I dusted and cleaned it, a rather unexpected thought crossed my mind: this beautiful leather was once the hide of an animal, a living organ that had covered, protected, and enveloped the inner being of a living creature. Suddenly, the bag appeared different to me. What I had admired as leather had once been skin!
That thought led me to reflect on our own skin.
We often think of skin simply as a protective covering for what lies beneath it. Yet, we may overlook the remarkable fact that skin is an organ in its own right, in fact, the largest organ of the human body. It is far more than an external covering.
Apart from its vital functions of regulating body temperature and facilitating the synthesis of Vitamin D, our skin is also a living canvas upon which the experiences of life leave their marks. It responds to our emotions: we blush, flush, or turn pale, often revealing what is happening within us. Through our skin, we experience the world by touch. Its intricate network of sensory receptors enables us to perceive texture, pressure, warmth, cold, and pain. Through touch, our skin becomes a means of encountering and connecting with the world and with one another.
We often judge one’s skin by physical appearance, color, texture, smoothness, age, scars, and imperfections. Yet our skin holds more than just appearance. It is something that senses, communicates, protects, heals, and connects. It carries the evidence of our histories, the years of sun exposure, aging, wounds, illness, work, joy, and suffering. What we casually dismiss as an imperfection may actually be a testimony to a life lived.
How about calling this reflection ‘a theology of the skin’? I wondered. As I continued to explore a theology of the skin, I could not help but marvel at the intricate design of the Creator. As a dermatologist, through the lens of theology, I begin to see skin not simply as an organ, but as a remarkable interface between body, mind, spirit, and the world around us. I see not merely the anatomy of skin but artistry; not merely function but purpose, and not merely a covering but a testimony to the wisdom, creativity, and sustaining care of God.
Perhaps the skin itself can become a theological metaphor—we are not merely what appears on the surface. Beneath our visible exterior lies an interior life that is known most fully by the One who created us. And the very organ that forms our boundary with the world also reminds us of our profound interconnectedness with our bodies, with one another, with creation, and ultimately with our Creator.
And then, there is the story of the handbag that started it all!
My daughter had sensed my longing for a designer bag, coupled with my reluctance to part with so much money, that one Christmas, she graciously gifted me a branded handbag. Needless to say, I was delighted! I now carry it over my shoulder with a little pride, but I cannot help smiling at the irony. Even as I enjoy my beautiful branded bag, my mind wanders back to the theology of the skin.
Perhaps there is a lesson here about the things we attach value to. We live in a world that places enormous importance on brands, appearances, and the labels we carry. We are often tempted to measure worth by what is visible, forgetting that the most remarkable things about us cannot be displayed on a label or captured by a mirror. A branded bag may carry a name that speaks of status, craftsmanship, and luxury.
Yet the greatest beauty is not in the brand we carry, nor even in the skin we wear, but in the sacredness of the life that God has entrusted to us.
Irene@Skin and Soul
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