Free Hugs

   A day or so after the tragedy at my first Alma mater, Virginia Tech, on April 16, 2007, there were two students who stationed themselves by a bench on the drillfield, which is a huge grassy area at the center of campus.  They held a sign which said, “Free Hugs.”  I saw a picture of them, and though many miles away from my beloved university, I was touched in my heart by their loving offer at a time when so many of us were hurting.  And hug many people they did.

   In the midst of this worldwide tragedy of the coronavirus, which is bringing death or pain or an assortment of hardships to countless people worldwide, an additional tragedy is people are being more separated from each other.  Gatherings of people have been halted, truly a safety necessity.  Only such discipline will keep the coronavirus contained.

   In public, everyone is supposed to be carrying out “social distancing,” which includes people refraining from getting close to one another; everyone is supposed to stay at least six feet away.  We human beings are not supposed to touch those outside of our homes, including handshakes or hugs.  No one knows for sure how long this will need to continue.

   This past Sunday, many churches in the United States were closed, and most will be closed for a number of Sundays to come for genuine safety purposes.  Some leaders are speculating all churches may be closed on Easter.  How sad to know churches are locked up.  Now many churches are having online services, which is a good thing for this period, but obviously impersonal.

   At this time of trial, may we Christians realize the basis of Christianity is a relationship with Jesus, not a ritual.  Scripture teaches the foundation of being a follower of Jesus is faith in Jesus, the One who was the atoning sacrifice for the sins of people.  Faith results in a loving relationship.  A believer becomes born again, being permanently indwelled with the Holy Spirit.  Thus any Christian has the opportunity to be spiritually and lovingly touched in his or her heart by God day after day!  As we all are being physically separated from one another due to the coronavirus, this is a time to rely on being touched by our Savior and Lord in a spiritual manner.  Jesus loves us, and He wants to touch our hearts.

   And regarding our fellow human beings, we are commanded by Jesus to love them.  Our culture for years has been plagued by sexual immorality which involves wrongful touching, plagued by anger, and plagued by many other sins which interfere with loving human relationships.  There is a grand need now for followers of Jesus to continue to carry out the commands of Jesus, loving God and loving people.  Thus we need to keep forgiving and caring.  Personally, my circumstances are financially rough now, however, in spite of “social distancing” and little cash, I see opportunities to be a light for Jesus now as many people are hurting and confused.

   When churches unlock their doors in the future, church norms may be changed in most for safety reasons.  Sadly enough, I think some churches will get rid of the time when we greet our brothers and sisters during worship.  Yet when this crisis finally ends, I see a day when opportunities will arise to once again give holy hugs to people in the love of Christ.

Hunter Irvine

Home

I John 4: 13-16       We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.  If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love.  Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. (NIV)

Luke 23: 43 Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” (NIV)

   My grandma was in a nursing home for a year and ten months before she passed away.  I visited her every single day for the first six months, and frequently after that.  A nursing home is one of the last places I would chose to hang out, yet I loved Grandma, and I wanted to spend time with her as she suffered being bedridden and lonely.  I would talk with her, I would read to her, and I would usually sing one song to her before I left, which also made me popular with her roommate who liked my singing.
   Visiting the nursing home so much, I got to know several residents.  There were some really nice people there.  A few residents were blessed to have family members visit them consistently, but for most residents, visitors came on rare occasions or never.  Then there were a few people who I did not talk with but saw often, since they were often up and about.  One of those folks was Jane, not her real name.  Jane was 103 years old.  She was extremely active.  Normally when I walked down the hall to and from Grandma’s room, at different times, Jane would be shuffling around on her walker.  And though she often was not intelligible, many times she was in a conversation with someone on the hall or to herself.  I never talked with her, but sometimes I would say, “Hi Jane,” when I walked by her.
   One evening I was visiting Grandma a few days before Christmas.  As I walked by Jane, she pushed her walker in front of me and started talking with me for the first time.
   She said with upmost sincerity, “I need to go home.”
   I casually responded, "You are home, Jane."
   Looking right at me, she responded, “You don’t understand.  It is Christmas and I need to be at home.”
   I then got real serious and said something like, “Jane, people here care for you, and you are like family here, so this is kind of your home.”
   I tried to comfort her, but it was sad.
   Growing up in a transient area in Virginia inside the D.C. beltway, experiencing the divorce of my parents, and remaining single all of these years, even though it has been a longstanding dream to be married, has made “home” often seem elusive.
   There is an old saying, “Love makes a house a home.”  I agree, realizing home is a place, yet home also involves relationships.  We learn the atonement Jesus made on the cross as the substitute for sins, which is stated in I John 4:10, resulted in the opportunity for people to be in a truly loving spiritual relationship now with Jesus.  Thus if you receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord, wherever your abode, you can be at home with Jesus.
   Secondly, receiving Jesus, you gain a forever home.  As Jesus promised one of the men being crucified alongside Him, a believer will be ushered by Christ into heaven.  After following Jesus for coming on thirty years next month, I recognize more and more the journey I have been on in this world does not find completion here.  The result of journeying with Jesus is an eternal home with God in heaven.
   Knowing this in my heart, sometimes it does not seem so.  I have been in churches where leaders or people have been focused on money or whatever else blocks love, and then when I moved on, I felt church homeless.  And there have been two periods in my life in my calling of ministry work when I had to move so frequently, “home” seemed like it may be out of reach.
   Yet whether I am church homeless or a nomad, I live with the Holy Spirit being in me, and I have the promise of heaven.  If you are not a follower of Jesus, you can be today by simply believing in Him.  And if you are a believer, rely on the promises of our loving Father that He is with you right now and cares for you right now, and that He has an eternal home for you, praise be to Jesus!
Hunter