GREETINGS!

Romans 16:16 says, “Greet one another with a holy kiss.”

Well, now HERE is yet another example of one of those Bible things that never really took off: THE HOLY KISS.  It’s about as popular these days as the Sanctified Shoulder Rub and the Temple Tickle. 

In a way, I understand why it never really caught on.   And if you saw some of the old Farmers I grew up with you’d understand too.  Suddenly, the Holy Handshake makes a LOT of sense. 

Funny how that works though.  Some stuff we’re told to do in the Bible people just LOVE to do.  But other stuff, the weird stuff, the tough stuff, we just never quite get around to doin’. 

We just can’t wait to sing and pray and fellowship, and eat and....sing and...um...that’s about it, I guess.  But the rest of that Bible stuff can be downright annoying to deal with. 

All that giving, and sacrificing and lovin’ your enemy stuff can get on your ever last nerve.  Giving your cloak AND coat to WHOEVER ASKS can make for a very cold winter.  Spreading the word to ALL the world can REALLY cut into your golf and Internet time.  And let’s face it, there are just so many cheeks people wanna turn in a day.

But I always thought the Holy Kiss woulda been kind of an easy sell. Especially as a greeting.

“Hello, Brother Carl!”  SMACK!

“Good morning, Sister Suzie!”  SLOBBER!

It’s so intimate.  So personal.  Make it HOLY and I can see why the Bible said to do it.  It’s powerful.  Kinda makes the “Christian Side Hug” look kinda wimpy.

But if church people wanna ignore this part of the Bible because it "was cultural", or "not really intended for us", or "not REALLY what Paul meant", or "not REALLY what Jesus meant", or just not something we're "comfortable" with or "blah, blah, blah" - insert any excuse here -  I’d at least like to see a couple of frisky Wal-Mart Greeters give it a whirl.   

Can you imagine? 

Maybe not.

As together we stand and sing.

BP