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The Cricket Story

More Hug History

In Ancient Egypt, however, the art of hugging was nearly lost because of mummies. Mummies thought they didn't need to hug because they were all wrapped up in themselves.

And of course, the Bible makes many references to hugging. In fact, healing touch has its roots in the Bible. Forty-one stories of physical and mental healing by Jesus are recorded in the Gospels. Sixteen of these involve touch.

Hug (look) at the example of the prodigal son found in Luke 15:20. When the father saw his lost son coming home, he was filled with compassion for him, ran to him, and threw his arms around him. Now that's true unconditional love.

You might be interested to know that historically according to what my youth leaders used to tell me is that all this hugging leads to other things (like teenage hand hugging), but they didn't tell us what those things were. Well that's enough to make a teenager go out and try it and I discovered it must lead to kissing. For anyone who is trying to lose weight that's great news. Great news?

Some years ago Reader's Digest published the fact that one only has to give 389 kisses of average intensity to lose one pound. Unfortunately, I don't have any statistics on how many hugs it takes to lose a pound, but oh, well, kissing is...better get back to the Bible and more hugging.

We're told in Acts: 20:36 & 37 about the Apostle Paul's farewell address to the elders in Ephesus. After speaking, Paul knelt down with them and prayed, they all cried freely and threw their arms around Paul's neck and kissed him. I wonder how politically correct that was? I don't think they concerned themselves about it then.

The Bible doesn't leave out the kids either. In Mark 10, people began bringing their children to Jesus so that He might touch them. They were rebuked by the disciples, but Jesus quickly said, "Permit the children to come to Me, do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it at all." Then He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands upon them.

If you want to know more, look up these stories all involving touch:

Jesus raising Jairus's daughter
Restoring Malchus's ear
Healing the blind, the possessed
Peters's mother-in-law
Jesus washing the disciples feet
Laying on of hands while consecrating pastors
Baptism
Anointing the sick with oil

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