Dear Friends,
Thanks for those of you who responded to yesterday's
Leadership Thought addressing how to welcome church visitors. One of those
responses came from a former New Monmouth Church member Karen Bottari who wrote
"If it wasn't for Bill Roberts who knows where I might have ended
up?"
Karen was referring to a beloved leader in our church who
would stand in the doorway to the sanctuary and hug everyone who would enter.
It was not just a casual hug, mind you, but a giant bear hug that almost left
you breathless.
Now not everyone might be up for that kind of welcome to the
church, however, like Karen, few people would ever forget its impact. When you
were hugged by Bill, you knew you were loved.
Bill passed away a number of years ago, and to this day
people still talk about how his hug made them feel loved and special.
The other day I was visiting a church member on hospice, and
before I left both I and her husband took her hands and prayed, and the
expression on her face communicated it all: "I feel loved and comforted
and cared for."
Now one doesn't have to welcome
visitors with a giant bear hug to make them feel welcome in church. I know some
who are just not the hugger 'type,' and for them maybe a handshake is the best
form of greeting they can offer, and that's OK. It’s the touch that counts! A
hug, a handshake, or as I shared yesterday, just a soft hand on a shoulder will
do.
"Human touch is a
basic, a primal need. It calms our nervous system, slows down our heartbeat,
lowers blood pressure, and reduces stress. Touch deprivation is correlated with
negative health outcomes, such as anxiety, depression and immune system disorders."
Quoted from "Psychology Today," The Vital Importance of Touch, Aug 3,
2021.
As Isaac was offering a
blessing to his son whom he thought was Esau and not Jacob, we hear him saying,
"Come near now, and kiss me, my son." Genesis 27:26
Every formal blessing
offered in the Jewish home involves some form of tender, meaningful touch as an
expression of love.
Author and teacher Jon
Courson writes, "In a study of girls who had numerous unwanted
pregnancies, a common denominator was found: they all had fathers who did not
show them affection. Consequently, they sought this missing ingredient in the
arms of strangers." A pure and tender touch upon our kids is so
important. That's why Jesus didn't call out a blanket blessing upon the
children who were brought to Him. He tenderly and lovingly touched them. Mark
10:13 Jon Courson's Application Commentary of the Old
Testament
Let us never underestimate the power of the touch for
whether it's an old-fashioned Bill Roberts bear hug, or a handshake, or even
just a hand on a shoulder for it might just be the beginning of a journey you
and your recipient will never forget.
Yours in faith and friendship,
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