The Kiss You Give

...the tenderness of a parents heart...

Oh, a kiss! Such variety of meaning can be found in this little gesture. For little ones it is the tenderness of a parents heart; of them finding joy and wonder in their child. As they learn to crawl, walk, and become their own person, it's a wet smack during play time or comes accompanied by a mispronounced "I love you'. In school, a kiss becomes a thing to be wiped off, a "your beard tickles" moment, or the way you get cooties. It conveys safety and security to the sick child, comfort for the wounded knees and scraped palms, and makes monsters shrivel under beds during the wee hours of the night.


As we grow it slowly evolves, happening so slowly that when the change is noticed it catches us off guard. A kiss becomes something whispered about in giggly circles during recess. It becomes achievement boasted about to the guys. We begin to long for just one, just one little kiss, just one. We dream about that one little brush that has the potential to send the adolescent heart streaming through the heavens and whose absence  causes the waves of despair to swallow the young heart whole.

...one little brush...

Then there's the "One", the one that changes everything. All that you thought you knew is a lie. Everything that came before is as nothing now. Because now, you've found the "One" and the kiss has changed. Instead of the finale, it becomes the prelude. It becomes the promise of more when we meet again. It becomes the public expression of a private desire. This new kiss is the first tremor in a violent earthquake, the initial spark in a raging forest fire, the first splash of a titan wave crashing through your heart. It becomes a pledge of undying love, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live. And then it grows.

The kiss grows new shoots and begins to branch. It still represents that same love, but it manifests itself in different ways and emotions. There is the familiar kiss, a routine affirmation in a hectic world. Then there's the kiss of forgiveness, the kiss of absence (both physical and emotional), and the kiss of consoling. Many times, these new kisses take the place of the original kiss. They become taken for granted, familiar, or done by rote. And yet, though the fire may not rage as it once did, each kiss contains a subtle reminder that the fire still burns. While the earthquake may have settled to an occasional rumble, the kiss is still a promise.

...the one that changes everything...

Each kiss promises the absence of loneliness. It offers peace in turmoil and comfort during pain. The brush of the lips reminds you of troubles long past and the hope of good things to come. It calms fears, dries tears, and lifts the soul because at the end of it all, it means that you are not alone. And then...and then it becomes a farewell, a goodbye, an until we meet again. That last press of the lips, mingled with tears, holds memories of love and is a final promise that the you will not be forgotten even though death may separate you.

All it is, is placing your lips on something. Why does it mean so much? I wish I had the answer, but all I know is this simple gesture is an outward sign of inner feelings. The kiss you give, and why you give it, is an honest expression of who and what you are. Luke records two kisses in his gospel. Two very important, but very different kisses.

The first is found in Luke 7:36-50. (Click the link or grab your own Bible) The account opens up with Jesus being invited into the house of a pharisee named Simon. If you don't know, pharisees where THE people in New Testament Jerusalem. They were the ones you wanted as neighbors. They were respected members of the community, were well educated in both worldly and religious matters, and they did their best to follow the letter of every nuance of every law found in the Old Testament. Boys worked hard to earn the right to be a pharisee. 

...kneeling and crying...

It was into the house of a pharisee that this sinful woman walked. Luke never specifically states what the woman's offense was, but we can look at verse 39 for clues. Simon, and everyone else there for that matter, knew this woman was a sinner. They had observed her lifestyle and it showed how sinful she was. Because of the day and age, most readers believe she was a sexually promiscuous woman. If that's the case, then this woman was no stranger to a kiss. But instead of the kisses she was used to, empty ones filled with broken promises and regret, we find her giving honest kisses filled with repentance, love, and hope. She heard stories about Jesus. She heard about the lame walking, the lepers being restored and going home, and the dead being brought back to life. But I dare say that there is one sentence, uttered by Jesus in most of these stories, that has brought her to this place; "You're sins are forgiven". I can't imagine how much this woman longed to hear these words spoken to her like they had been spoken to so many others. Her past was filled with kisses that left stains and wounds. Those kisses haunted her, shamed her, and kept her in bondage in the shadows. So we find her kneeling and crying while she anoints and kisses the feet of Jesus. Each kiss mingled with her tears expresses her repentance, offers worship, and shows her longing for forgiveness.

...shows a longing for himself instead of Jesus...

The other kiss is different. In Luke 22 we read about the final days of Jesus before His crucifixion. Verses 1-6 give us the background of what is happening in verses 47-48. There is a lot that can be gleaned from these verses, enough to bog us down and get us off track, so let's just focus on what we know about Judas. He was a disciple of Jesus. He was there for every miracle, just like the others. He saw Jesus walk on water, he saw thousands fed, he saw lame walk and lepers whole, he saw the dead come back to life. When Jesus gave the disciples power and sent them off in pairs, Judas was in one of the pairs. But the Bible also shows us that he was the keeper of the groups money and would take what he wanted from it. So, even though he saw all that Jesus was, Judas cared most about himself. The Bible doesn't give us the exact thought process of Judas. We don't know what he hoped to achieve by betraying Jesus, whether it was simply for money or for something more. But we can easily say, based on what we DO know about Judas, that Judas sought some type of personal gain. So here's something to ponder: how was Judas' kiss different than the kiss from the sinful woman? They both were expressive. Both offered worship. And there was definitely longing in each one. The kiss given by Judas expressed the honest desires of his heart just like the kisses from the sinful woman. When he approached Jesus, he fully and completely declared who he worshiped...just like the sinful woman. But his kiss, mingled with his actions, shows a longing for himself instead of Jesus.  

...which kiss do you offer Jesus...

A kiss involves intimacy; it is personal. Why you kiss defines the relationship just as much as the way you kiss. Which kiss would you offer to Jesus were He here? Our immediate impulse is to loudly proclaim, "I would kiss Him like the sinful woman!" To be honest, if Jesus were physically standing in front of you, you probably would bow before him and worship...but the Bible says that everyone will do that the next time we see Him. It may seem odd to you to speak of kissing and Jesus in the same sentence, but it's not. If the Creator knows the number of hairs on your head, the steps you take during the day, and the innermost workings of your heart, then He wants an intimate relationship with you. So let's rephrase the question; which kiss do you regularly offer Jesus? If kisses are an outward expression of an inner desire, then what does your kiss for Jesus look like? Are you really desiring Him and his kingdom? Or do you leave him on the shelf during the week and follow your own dreams and desires and pray for Him to bless them? Which kiss?