Hug Someone

It is likely that the next person you see after you read this blog post needs a hug and probably wouldn’t mind getting one from you.  Yes, you.

Don’t worry, I’m not trying to start some type of emotional revolution here.  Nor do I envision my readers traveling through the rest of their day hugging everyone they meet as they listen to Pat Benatar’s “We Belong” on their iPods.

What I’m talking about is the need I see in people to be embraced by another human being.  We need contact; we need touch and affection.

Some of you know me quite well and are really starting to worry right now.  It’s ok, I understand

I’m noticing that some people I walk through life with have things they want to talk about and yet don’t feel like anyone has time to listen.  Its funny, at my school, we all sit in our classrooms smiling and laughing and discussing the most esoteric and lofty topics of theology.  Yet, if I choose one person out of that room and take them to lunch, it won’t take very many sincere attempts at my question “so how is everything, really?” to finally yield a response which reflects feelings that are anything but what might cause them to smile, laugh or even care to discuss how many angels can fit on the head of a pin.

What has happened to our Christian communities?  Why do we spend so much time trying to know stuff about God we can’t comprehend and yet we barely know anything about the guy or girl next to us who shares the same human condition we do?

I’ve witnessed peers arguing over minute details of biblical interpretation while someone in the room was sitting quietly battling with depression.  They were all sharing the same physical space, and yet my friend was probably feeling utterly alone.  No one asked to see how he was doing, or to get an update about things.  This vexes me.

Hugs mean a lot to people.  Sometimes it doesn’t matter who they are from.  Business can wait; school can wait; life can wait.  Please take a moment to see how someone else is doing today and DON’T TALK ABOUT YOURSELF during the conversation.  I promise you that people will eventually open up when they realize you actually care to hear how they are doing.  Soon, you’ll be able to check up with them about those things, offer encouragement and have incredible opportunities to talk about matters of faith and other important stuff.  Eventually, you can hug that person and they’ll feel loved.  You’ll be reflecting Christ and bearing the image of God in their lives.

Ok, I gotta go.  I’ve been listening to Pat Benatar’s “We Belong” on repeat since I started writing this thing.  80′s music can be dangerous.  I feel like I need to go knock down the Berlin Wall or something.