Wednesday, November 14, 2012

To Hug or to Cuddle?


I felt stirred enough to say something on this after reading this little snippet from sideswipe | nzherald.co.nz
Officials at Adam Road Primary School in Bunbury, Western Australia, gave Amber Rome, 12, detention for hugging a classmate after the bell rang. The school adopted a "no hugging" policy last year after some parents claimed their children were being bruised and others said their children were being left out.

Then it got worse with this article...
Hugging Fad Earns Ban At School link

There is something happening here...
Maybe just maybe, these kids are acting out a need that is not being met properly these days. Appropriate physical human contact?
In a world where sex rules and with its distorted ideas on what is 'right'. ..people still crave human connection in a safe and affirming way.
I think these kids could be just acting out what is partly missing in their world...normal human interaction.
Being late to class is wrong.
Banning appropriate human behaviour is more wrong!

Please let me add something from what I read in the scriptures that relates to this I think.

There is story where Jesus has a bunch of kids around him and some people get upset.
Yes see, Jesus was placing his hands on them and blessing them. But others who think everything is sexual and some things 'just shouldn't be done' got weirded out by this display of appropirate caring and affection. Jesus simply tells them that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to these kids. That if you want to 'get it' you need to get over it. That you need to follow their example.

Paul the apostle said the same thing 4 times as recorded in the New Testament.
Romans 16:16 | 1 Corinthains 16:20 | 2 Corinthians 13:12 | 1 Thessalonians 5:26
"Greet one another with a holy kiss"

Now most of us react and say yuck. I am not kissing every believer I meet.
And this is the problem again.
Our culture screams it is wrong. And it tells us that a kiss is only a sexual thing...
I have travelled to other parts of the world where a kiss is normal on each cheek. In fact you are rude not to do it!

My point is this...
You are I are created for appropriate physical contact with other human beings.
There is 'contact' reserved for marriage and there is contact designed for every other time and occassion.
To deny people physical contact drives things underground that should be in the light.
It denies people the contact with humans that they were designed to have and they ultimately crave.
I think it ultimately polutes something that is supposed to be pure and holy.

So let's be grown up and responsible.
Let's have grace and understanding over this issue.
As believers we are here in part to show the world a better way...

Something to think about...

1 comment:

Sandra said...

Very well written. Our society needs to learn the difference between God touch and bad touch. It's really important for kids to learn this too, it's all part of growing up, forgiving and comforting a friend. Thanks Locky for your thoughts.