Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss.
1 Thessalonians 5:26 NIV
Greet God’s People
It is an interesting experience to walk from Hong Kong into China because in Hong Kong, traffic drives on the left and in China, on the right. So, at one point along the walking tunnel, right at the border, everyone changes side. So, it shouldn’t surprise us that new Canadians who come from countries that drive on the left are given this advice by the YMCA in Canada: “As a general guideline, “stand on the right, pass on the left” is a courteous practice in Canada.
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Here in Canada, we don’t tend to greet each other with a kiss, not even on the cheek, except those with whom we are very close. A handshake is normal and a hug might be offered to those we feel particularly close to. But in many cultures, it is still common to greet each other with a kiss – in some it is a kiss on both cheeks. Obviously in Thessalonica, it was common to greet each other with a kiss, which is the point to what Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:26: “Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss.” The point, of course, is not the holy kiss. What is really being said here, no matter how the greeting is expressed, is the heart of Christian fellowship. God designed us to live connected with each other in the Body of Christ – we need each other. A holy greeting is more than a gesture; it is a reflection of God’s love flowing through us. It says, “You matter – to me and to the fellowship of God’s people.” In a world filled with distance, suspicion, and isolation, the warmth of genuine Christian love becomes a powerful testimony.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley