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“Greet One Another With a Holy Kiss” - Romans 16:16
One of our delights in travel is worshiping with the saints in other places. What a privilege! Though the culture may be different, we are all God’s children, one family… brothers and sisters indeed!
We recently worshipped with the saints in Tucson. It was not our first visit, so I knew what was coming … these folks excel at greeting visitors! No less than a dozen members welcomed us warmly and chatted long enough to where we “got to know each other.” I even met one kind gentleman who has a relative on his way to becoming the new preacher at the Odessa church of my youth! The Tucson congregation’s young evangelist is from Oregon, where he knew the Sipes. Other tales I could share, but I already said, “we’re a big family!”
"The Hugger" - we both looked forward to being greeted by this warm friendly fellow. He greets all with a big hug, his version of a “holy kiss.” It is in the spirit of Romans 16:16, (also 1 Cor 16:20, 2 Cor 13:12, 1 Thess 5:26, and 1 Peter 5:14). What an encouraging pleasure! We much look forward to our next visit with these fine Christians! And they have refreshed me (Philemon 1:7), inspired me to be more like them!
How about you? Whether the new face coming through our door belongs to a travelling brother or is just a neighbor checking out the church who meets on Brushy Creek, let’s show them who we are! I’m thinking in 3’s: shake a hand, introduce yourself, and get to know 'em. Maybe someday our visitor will return to their home congregation and share their delight from worshipping with the warm refreshing saints that meet on Brushy Creek!
Jesus spoke these words, as His time in the flesh on this earth drew to a close: “Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” - John 13:33-35
- Danny Pickett
