At the end of every Sunday Service during the time I have been a pastor, I repeat this invitation to enacted friendship and love --:”Hug somebody -- shake someone’s hand!” For 22 years of ministry my father repeated those words of fellowship, and in 20 years of ministry that God has called me to do since 1986, helping my father when he was a pastor, and in my time as a camp director, and as a pastor myself, I have proclaimed this invitation to put our faith into action, to begin our time after the service with acts of compassion and love.
The late professor and author Leo Buscaglia, who died in 1998, was known as “Dr. Hug.” He eloquently talked of the value of hugs and encouraging pats on the back. He wrote some inspiring philosophical books, including Love, Personhood, The Way of the Bull, Because I am Human, and Bus Trip 99. In talking about hugs and affirmations, Buscaglia remarked on the value of touch: “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
The professor also proclaimed, “"It's not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something. May I suggest that it be creating joy for others, sharing what we have for the betterment of personkind, bringing hope to the lost and love to the lonely."
Dr. Leo was made famous by a series of PBS specials that were compiled from his popular public lectures. Though not overtly Christian in his lectures and books, he was a man of faith and principle. Who often pointed out that “Your talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God.
I have tried to model part of my ministry after some of the things that Leo Buscaglia wrote so eloquently about. He once wrote, “I've always though that people need to feel good about themselves and I see my role as offering support to them, to provide some light along the way.” Certainly, I try to show people who they are (or who they can be in Christ). By raising a person’s “Christ esteem” the Sprit raises their self esteem.
One other Buscaglia quote that moves me is this one: “The fact that I can plant a seed and it becomes a flower, share a bit of knowledge and it becomes another's, smile at someone and receive a smile in return, are to me continual spiritual exercises.”
Yes they are! And it is so amazing that God allows us to be partners in the processes of growth and creativity. God enables us to be part of the tapestry that is each of our lives, which, in turn, are part of the greater life quilts that weave together under the Spirit’s gentle guidance. Sometimes we do not see the pattern until we are at a distant vantage point in the unfolding future, but God was with us in every stitch and thread.
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