(06.22.21– A Faith That Feels!--Matthew 9:21-22)
My friend, may I ask you a question? Is there a role for handshakes and hugs in our culture anymore? Is touch a thing of the past? Are we willing to fight for the one thing that keeps us bonded as human beings?
My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.
I'm M. Clifford Brunner.
What makes a handshake a handshake? Well, as any of my nephews could tell you, there's a formula when it comes to shaking hands with Uncle Mark. I teach handshakes, so to speak. When a young man shakes my hand, I look for three things. Is the grip firm but not pressing? Is the arm held forward or limp? And, most importantly, is there good eye con- tact? Among other things, these are the elements of a good handshake.
I've long been fascinated with handshakes. Even though I look for good, crisp, sincere shakes, that's not the real mystique of a handshake.
When I grip someone's hand I'm convinced that those hands are communicating something, transferring, in a way, a sort of power between givers.
Here's a story: Some German insurance companies and psychologists have found a correlation between work attitudes and a morning goodbye kiss. Studies show that men who do not kiss their wives goodbye are apt to be moody, depressed and disinterested in their jobs. But kissing husbands start off the day on a positive note. This positive attitude results in more efficient and safer driving practices. Kissing husbands live five years longer than their less romantic counterparts. However, kissing may be more a consequence than a cause of a happy life situation. The subject warrants continued investigation by every husband and wife. (Homemade, April, 1990.)
The Bible tells us that touch played a very important role in Jesus's ministry. Not only did He heal by simply touching others, but there are a number of instances in Scripture where we are told that many were healed by simply touching his robe. Was there power in Jesus's robe? Fortunately, Jesus answers the question for us. In Matthew 9: 22 He tells a woman who has touched his robe "Take heart, daughter . . . your faith has healed you." Jesus's robe had no power in it, but the faith that the woman showed in touching it did. In the same way, it's believing in the touch that makes it powerful. When it comes to a simple kiss or a handshake, given from the heart, they both have the power to move mountains.
We pray. Heavenly Father, we pray that this culture we live in will wise up and once again understand the importance of touch to human bonding. You gave us touch as a gift to help us communicate friendship, love and trust. Now, people are beginning to lose trust in touch, relying rather on bumping elbows and waving behind a mask. Help us Father to overcome our fears and the constant temptation to rely on ourselves to find peace in this life rather than You. Restore our ability to trust in touch and once again discover the power behind what one touch can do, especially when it is a touch reaching out to our Savior Jesus Christ. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!
Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.
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<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.