Kisses, handshakes & embraces for that matter, are not an obscurity in the Word of God. They appear more often than we might think. It was & still is a common Eastern & Jewish custom. But not all kisses in the Bible were given with the same purpose in mind. Here are a few that are mentioned ….
Joab gave Amasa a hypocritical & deadly kiss- 2 Samuel 20:9
Judas gave Jesus a kiss of betrayal. Luke 22:46-48
The Israelites gave Baal idolatrous kisses. 1 Kings 19:18
But on the other hand ....
The Prophet Samuel kisses Kings Saul as a sign of respect. 1 Sam 10:1
An adulterous woman kisses Jesus’ feet in humble adoration. Luke 7:38
Believers greet other Believers with an honoring holy kiss. 1 Cor. 16:20, 1 Thess. 5:26.
Me, I thrive off of kisses & expressive salutations, but I know that others purposefully keep them at a distance. But whether we like them or not (no judgment on my part), the usual intention of giving them to others is as an expression of mutual love, admiration, or friendship. As humans, & more so as Christian, we are made for & called to meaningful relationships. Societal norms change through time & geography, but the goal of Biblical community remains the same.
So, in these unique times of social separation, confusion, uncertainty and possibly heartache, a need for each of us to get creative in continuing to express our sincere spiritual love to one another, our family & friends is of utmost importance. Our new, hopefully temporary, ways should still carry the same Biblical purpose of showing love to each other. To achieve our Biblical mandate in these hard times we will just have to think outside the box, step out or our comfort zone & be more intentional in our endeavors of drawing near to others.
4 ways to stay connected
😘 Video Chatting/Face Timing beats a text or a voice call any day. You could even
have a group Face-Time call! Zoom is another option.
😘 Mail a handwritten card or note. The mailman comes to your house everyday.
😘 Have a gathering of a few people in a empty parking lot. Park your cars with the
trunk or hatchback facing each other & chat away. You could even celebrate
someone birthday this way & decorate the trunk where the birthday girl sits.🎈
😘 Play a Virtual Game together
Let's not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebews 10:25
😘😘😘We would love to hear of any creative ideas you have seen done or done yourself to
stay connected. (Comment below)
A LITTLE EXTRA
This is how a friend had a Shower/Bday party for someone:
People left presents (in a black trash bag) on the persons porch. The presents in the black trash bag were left on the porch till the next day so any viruses would die. The next day she opened them LIVE on a Facebook group she had made.
They had a great safe time and still got to celebrate.