There’s something special about a kiss.
The first kiss.
The goodbye kiss.
The reunited kiss.
The last kiss.
All of these bring some type of picture to our minds. For some people kissing, or any other kind of physical affection for that matter, is uncomfortable. But for people who love each other the kiss is essential.
After a facial surgery that had cut a tiny nerve to her lips, the young woman asks the surgeon, “Will my mouth always be like this?”“
“Yes, unfortunately it will,” answers the surgeon. “It’s because the nerve was cut.” She nods and remains silent.
But her husband looks at her and smiles.
“I like it,” he says. “It kind of looks cute.”
He then bent over and leaned in towards his young wife. As he did, he twisted his own lips to accommodate her now crooked lips, and then kissed her.
“See! Your kisser still works.”
The image of the young husband contorting his mouth and twisting his lips to kiss his palsied wife’s lips grips my heart.
God symbolically has done the very same thing for us when He transformed Himself and became human. The God of the universe bent down from Heaven, leaned toward mankind, and expressed His love to a very disfigured people.
We are told many times in the New Testament,
“Greet each other with a holy kiss”
(Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; 1 Thess.
5:26; 1 Pet. 5:14)
In most churches this has been toned down to just hugs and handshakes. Kisses (notwithstanding the awkwardness), hugs, and even handshakes, when given with real love break down walls in our cold hard hearts, and affirm the love of God in and through us.
Think about Joseph. After being sold into slavery by his own brothers, he is reunited with them years later. Here’s how he responded,
“Then Joseph kissed each of his brothers and wept over them, and after that they began talking freely with him.” (Genesis 45:15, NLT)
Think about the prodigal’s father. After his own son had rejected his love and ran away from home, then returned with nothing. Here’s how he responded,
“And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20, NLT)
Think about Mary the prostitute. After years of being paid to show physical affection, and being cast away for doing so by society and the church, the Son of God himself came to her and showed an affection like she had never known. Here’s how she responded,
“Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.” (Luke 7:38, NLT)
Like Joseph, we can have our hearts warmed for those who have betrayed us. Like the prodigal father, is how we should see God embracing and loving us. And like Mary the prostitute, our hearts ought to be overflowing with gratitude for the what Jesus has done for us, causing tears to flow from our eyes, and kisses from our lips.
Does your kisser still work?
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