The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off

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That is the title of a documentary my wife and I watched on TLC last night. This was the story of a 36 year old UK gentleman named Johnny Kennedy. He had a rare genetic disease called epidermolysis bullosa (EB). He describe the condition as, "I look at it like your skin is 'velcroed' to your body, and mine is just missing the hooks".

This man decided to have his life and death (and preparation for it) documented and shared with the world. As we watched his story unfold, our sadness deepened. This man, despite his constant and extreme pain, was more at peace than anyone that I have personally known who was standing on the threshold of death. But where did this peace come from? He did seem to be a very "spiritual" man, but his faith was not in Jesus Christ. As I drove to work this morning I began to wonder, "What would make someone like this put their faith and trust in Jesus?" He was already peaceful, already likeable, already taking social action in the effort to find a cure (not for himself, but for future people) for this disease, already "spiritual", and already (what he thought to be) prepared for death. So I ask again, what would have made this gentleman enter into life with Jesus?