Paul was always greeting people with a "holy kiss". Rom. 16:16 for example. I have known a few people in my lifetime who took that admonishment seriously. Every time I met them, I would get a wet one on the cheek. Both men and women! To be honest, I don't like it. I'm not a kisser (my wife will take exception to that statement as she should), but I don't go around kissing people. Then again, Paul admonishes "holy kissing!" (and to my singles and teens, don't read more into that than you should.) Then I was reading in 1 Peter 5 where he tells everyone to greet each other with a kiss of love - and I get it! All these years and the light bulb goes off!
First of all kissing is a cultural thing. Some cultures use kissing to express many different things. Hello, goodbye, appreciation, etc. When Peter and Paul tell people to greet with a holy kiss they were admonishing Christians to do what they already have been doing, but to it with a new reason. Community, agape, care, compassion and koinonia. They were telling fellow believers that how they greet each other should be a reflection of their faith! Are you getting it yet? In our culture we shake hands as a general rule, at least wave. But why? To be polite of course. To acknowledge the other persons presence and to let them know that they are welcomed here.
I am not advocating that we all start kissing each other Sunday. But think about this instead! What can you do to greet each other with a holy handshake or to welcome each other with a wave of love? What can we do different that will let other people know that we do care about them, as Jesus cares about them? What can we do to extend a true spirit of agape love and koinonia community to each other?
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