Holy Hugs

The bible says that we are to greet one another with a holy kiss. I don’t know about you but these days unless you live in France or Italy it is a lost art. Those of us in America have adapted many forms or gestures in greeting each other over the past 100 years.

Today the hand shake is even dated as most acquaintances prefer a nod of the head rather than physical contact when they meet, if they bother to look you in the eyes at all. Unless you are meeting a business associate or receiving a formal introduction to someone the handshake seems to get the shaft.

We are all worried about passing a flu bug or germs than what it says to reach out and make contact with someone’s hand or arm. Does anyone recall the old phone slogan to “reach out and touch someone?” Unfortunately it has led us down another road completely to disengaging others and settling for a short word text instead of a voice at the other end.

Do you notice that cell phones are the device that prevents us from having to look around or make eye contact with others? You won’t even hear others most of the time or at least look like you can’t when you are plugged into your phone loaded with music or iPod, or if you have the media package you could totally disengage from others and view a TV show or movie to avoid conversation all together in awkward commutes or standing in line.

Even in a room of familiar faces we often look at the device rather than have face time with those we are with or near to. I used to look forward to meeting new faces when the setting was right. Now days if I make a comment out loud to something we all can obviously see people stare at me and have to connect my mouth moving with the sound that is coming out.

I have a friend at church that is handsome, and married to a good friend of mine. He is so quiet at church that I warned him most people might find him unapproachable. So I told him he would come across better if I hugged him during fellowship time when we greeted. He said that was fine, and so did his wife. So it became a habit not just with him but with many of our good friends at church. We anticipate it and look forward to filling our hug tanks every Sunday.

Returning to work after a vacation, I embraced co-workers who I am closer to while others snickered and commented on how ridiculous it is that we should embrace. I think she needs a hug, or has just determined that physical contact is no longer necessary or too sentimental these days. So call me old fashioned, but I enjoy exchanging that embrace. I am attempting to say I missed you and am now glad to see you, because you matter to me.

A dear friend of mine hugs in a way that takes your breath away. I’ve been on the receiving end of thousands of hugs by now and know that this is a special hug. I even discussed it with my husband who has received hugs from her as well. It’s a hug that says “I mean it.” It is an embrace that would make one cower to tears had they never been hugged before. That would put hugging at a new level of need in your life. It’s a full body embrace that exchanges an outpouring of love and emotion. It’s almost desperate in a way that makes you hold on even tighter like you never want it to end. The first time, several years ago, I had an urgent nagging to pull away as if I couldn’t handle it or shouldn’t allow it. And now I anticipate seeing her as much as I look forward to her holy hug.

Is it an embrace that Jesus would give? Unashamed and without hesitation, He would hold you with an embrace that says loudly throughout your body that you are loved, accepted and wanted. I hope that someday I can offer an embrace that wonderful to others. I want to blast through all of those anxieties and hang ups about how it might be received and exude love and adoration through my embrace. What about you? How is your holy hug looking these days?