Give To Me Your Leather

One of my favorite songs is a 1980s classic; a love duet entitled “Leather and Lace”. Now, let me just clarify that I wasn’t even born in 1981 when the song came out. However, my mother is a huge fan of music and I was exposed to so many great classic songs throughout my childhood because of her. Thanks mom!

Anyways, “Leather and Lace” is a beautiful love song in which a couple is “arguing” (well “discussing” lol) how they need to change roles for a while. Stevie Nicks tells Don Henley in the song “give to me your leather, take from me my lace”. Loooooooooove it! And although this song is about a horizontal love (what I call Earthly love between two people), it can definitely be related to a vertical love (God’s love for his children).

Let me explain.

Leather is known for being tough. It’s very durable but just like with any material— it gets worn over time. If you don’t believe me, just come take a look at the leather seats in my 2005 Honda Accord. They are completely worn from the sun and just normal wear and tear. Lace, on the other hand, is known for being soft and much more delicate. God knew that in our lifetime, we would endure trials and tribulations. He knew that we would be burdened. However, He wanted to be our refuge. Our comfort. He cares so much for us that He wants to take on our entire heavy load (1 Peter 5:7).

So many times in Scripture we see the Lord say to give Him our burdens (Psalm 55:22, Psalm 68:19).  He wants the tough parts, the parts that have been enduring much wear and tear from this Earth. He understands we get tired and weary. He wants to give us something so delicate, so soft to balance us out from life’s stresses— kinda like the feeling and sight of lace.

People often think that opposites “don’t go together”. But on the contrary, it is the differences that are often underappreciated. What one person brings to the table, the other partner may need to complement them. For example, can you imagine a relationship with two people who worried all the time? Whew! That would be tragic. Or can you imagine a relationship where both partners were just alike in other ways, maybe very extroverted or horrible at saving money. That can most definitely be a recipe for disaster. But that’s where the concept of a complement comes in.

Now, I am a bit of a nerd so I love to look words up in the good ol’ Merriam Webster Dictionary. (Yes, I said dictionary— not google lol). The dictionary states that the word “complement” can be either used as a noun or verb. When it is used a verb, it means to “add to something in order to improve it, enhance it, or make it perfect”. When complement is used as noun, it is defined as “a thing that completes or brings something to perfection”.

Wow! Maybe that’s what 2 Corinthians 12:9 means when it says “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness”. Look at how God can complement us and balance us, even in our hardest times.

Every day we live brings joy. And although God didn’t promise us a life without pain, He did promise us that He would never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5). Let us go to Him with all our leather, worn and torn as it may be, and let Him balance us and complement us with His precious, sweet lace.

May your eyes, your head, and your spirit always be LIFTED.

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