ANCIENT peoples used to be warmer in their greetings. What has happened to us?
Oh yes, there are still some cultures that are naturally great at greetings, like the Italians, but what about the rest - or is it only "some" of us "Americans"?!
DISCOVER magazine says they experimented on transfer of germy handshakes —
That is, Biologists at Wales' Aberystwyth University" [yes, I spelled it correctly] donned "rubber gloves" and did the "nasty" deed of greeting (with E. Coli). They found "fist bumps transferred only about one-tenth of the amount of bacteria as handshakes did." *
Oh GOOD to know! - I'll just by-pass "hugs" altogether, and go straight to "fist bumping" my husband (or maybe that's not the idea they were trying to convey)
But, is that what it's come down to now?
Our OBSESSION with GERMS is CAUSING a BACKLASH of problems. Besides (believe it or not) making us MORE susceptible to germs, in CREATING an antiseptic environment**. We are (in the meantime) growing colder to, and more distant from, each other ✋— This article in "Discover" doesn't help.
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Have YOU ever HEARD that the BIBLE answers every question in LIFE? ☝️ Well - the Bible also has something to say on this subject. Was Jesus cold and antiseptic - or warm, huggy, touchable and loving?✌️
Jesus
—• touched lepers (who were full of sores & germs). This, at a time when no one dare even come within 10 feet of a leper (Mark 1:40-42)
—• most likely placed His hands on the dirty, bloody, naked demoniac (Mk.5:1-21)
—• touched germy children (Mk.10:13-16) ❤️
—• ate with "unwashen hands," (Mk.7:1-6,15)
—• raised the germy dead, lifting a "damsel by the hand" (Mk.5:41-42), and
—• allowed demon possessed Judas to "kiss" Him (Matt.26:46-50; John 6:70-71)
Paul had a few things to say, as well in Romans 12:9,10 & 16:3-16
"Let love be without dissimulation [ulterior motive]....Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love💙; in honour preferring one another." "Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you"
(Paul also wrote these principles down in 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Cor.13:12; 1 Thess.5:6)
THEN Peter wrote:
"Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently" (1 Peter 1:22)
SO, whatever "love" we show, let it be "unfeigned" or genuine ☝️
THIS does not mean we must have some deep emotional response in our heart, before we can show
"genuine" love. Genuine love, is that kind of love that we are convicted of when we, as Christians, claim to follow Jesus.
IF we are to EVER have that kind of deep love for others, as did Moses and Jesus, then we must first be willing to show "kindly affection[s] one to another with brotherly love; [that is] in honour preferring one another" - "preferring" or choosing to "honour" others over yourself, in an open and honest way... "without dissimulation."
Then ONE DAY, we may be able to say, as did Moses (who was the type pointing to Jesus):
"...Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written" (Exodus 32:31-32) ***
We are LIKE the woman with an issue of blood (unclean) - as we reach out to touch even just the hem of Jesus' garment, we are instantly cleansed of our uncleanness (as was that woman). AND Jesus will "know" who "touched" Him, as we acknowledge publicly what He has done for us (Mark 5:25-34)
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* "Discover" - April 2015 edition
** ask me about how obsession with germs is killing us
*** we must pray for the 144,000, that they would be able to utter this prayer, as did Moses, depicting Jesus. And we must pray that they fail not.
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3-7-2015
Marion Cheek
