Devotionals
Kissing is weird. OK, I know I sound like a 5-year-old who just had to kiss his cousin, or who just had Aunt Matilda plant a wet one on his little cheek. But, being a technical person, I find the mechanics of two people pressing their lips together rather humorous. Maybe that’s why it’s best not to think about the process of kissing and just enjoy it.
Perhaps more important than technique is the matter of who is kissing whom. Kissing can have a lot of meanings, depending on the culture and the intent.
Some Mediterranean and Eastern cultures are more free with their emotional expressions, and kissing is a common sign of greeting, even between men and men. However, many Western cultures respect a zone where only the most intimate friends of the opposite sex can kiss in public. Those lips are reserved for certain people. Kissing is a special sign of affection or reverence.
Kisses, like any other expression, can be sincere or cruel. They are most often taken as gestures of welcome or best wishes. When Jacob fled from Laban (Genesis 31:27, 28), Laban complained that he didn’t get to kiss his grandchildren and daughters goodbye. It was his way of showing how hurtful Jacob’s actions were.
Kissing is also an expression of deference or homage. When a subject meets a prince or king, the subject may bow and kiss the hand or feet of the sovereign. This also expresses the subject’s loyalty, as the kiss of a spouse affirms the vows signified by the wedding ring.
Honesty and integrity are woven into the idea of a kiss as well. Listen to this Proverb: “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips” (24:26). A kiss should be sincere.
Sadly, another Proverb gives a different impression: “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (27:6, NKJV). The principle here is that outward expressions of love cannot always be trusted, and friends are not always what they appear to be. However, a true friend may not constantly fawn all over you, but he will be caring enough to criticize and correct you in love. These are the true signs of sincerity and loyalty.
There are some famous nasty kisses in the Bible. While Joab hid a dagger in his cloak, ready to kill Amasa, “Joab said to Amasa, ‘How are you, my brother?’ Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger in Joab's hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly” (2 Samuel 20:9, 10).
Then, of course, there is the most famous kiss of all. “And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?’” (Luke 22:47, 48, NKJV). We all know the rest of the story.
Betrayal is a painful experience. In fact, the name Judas has become synonymous with betrayal. Whether it’s the Benedict Arnold-type turncoat, the corporate spy, or the wayward lover who continues to kiss your lips while sharing them with another, the meaning of the kiss—and the heart of the victim—is shattered when used as a weapon.
Man begins life in the role of betrayer. God’s condemnation of Israel was that they vowed allegiance to other gods, and He told Elijah, “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him” (1 Kings 19:18, NKJV). God was able to find a remnant that still revered and loved Him.
For those who profess to know and love God, there is only one sure method of proof. In anticipation of the coming of the Messiah, God wrote through the psalmist, “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him” (Psalm 2:12). God only honors those who pledge themselves sincerely to His Son. Looking ahead to the cross, we read, “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other” (Psalm 85:10, KJV). It is at the cross of Christ where wayward worshipers of false gods and no gods can be reconciled with their Creator.
This may sound a bit uncomfortable to our Western ears, but the Apostle Paul gave instruction to believers to greet one another in a holy, sincere way: “Greet one another with a holy kiss” (Romans 16:16; see also 1 Corinthians 16:20, 2 Corinthians 13:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:26, 1 Peter 5:14). Let us be sure that we ex-press our love and respect for one another and for God in sincerity and truth. No one we encounter should feel like a fool for being kissed.
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