Jessie Barnwell was reminiscing about the time she first started dating her husband, Freddie, many years ago. Freddie Barnwell, better known as Farmer Barnwell, was all smiles as his wife was telling the story at the Saturday night get-together at their farm. Jessie said they were teenagers when they started to date.
They were sitting on the front porch at Freddie’s house. It was a beautiful warm summer evening. A couple of cows were standing at the fence nearby, rubbing noses. Freddie had a romantic look in his eyes as he looked at Jessie and said how watching those cows rubbing noses kind of made him want to do the same.
Jessie said she looked at Freddie, and with a sweet loving voice said, well go ahead, they’re your cows. It took about five minutes for the laughter to quiet down with Emma Downs, who lives across the road from the Barnwell’s, lead the way with her infectious laugh.
Carolyn Craig said, that even though it might have looked like the cows were kissing, she is sure that is not what was taking place. However, a kiss or a hug does seem to have a great influence on us, as it is the language everyone seems to understand.
She told us a story about a high school boy who was more than a little jealous when the valedictorian and teacher’s pet, named Charlie Ross, received a kiss from everyone’s favorite teacher, the attractive Miss Tillie Brown.
It was when he received his diploma, right in front of the entire graduating class, and all of their guests. Jealous Harry asked what he would have to do to receive such an honor. Miss Brown told Harry when he made something of himself the way Charlie had, she would give him a kiss.
Harry told her he would keep her to her promise. It was many years later when Charlie Ross called Miss Brown, thanking her for her belief in him and always saying she felt sure he would become a success someday. The day Charlie called her it was the first day at his new job. He had become the press secretary to the President of the United States. He then asked her to hold on, someone else wanted to speak to her. “Hello, Miss Brown, this is Harry, Harry Truman. Do you feel by my becoming President of the United States, that I have made something of myself, and earned that kiss?” The President got his kiss. We can’t be sure just how much the promise of a kiss by his favorite teacher inspired him to make a success of himself, but we do know he never forgot her promise.
In first Peter chapter five and in Romans sixteen we are told to greet one another with a holy kiss. Even though some cultures a kiss on the lips is acceptable, a kiss on the hand, forehead, or cheek is much more acceptable. It is not a romantic kiss but a kiss of respect and affection from a member of the faith. Of course, a kiss and a hug always go together.
This simple act seems to encourage and uplift, expressing love and care when we are at a loss for words, and want to put an exclamation mark on our words, or just let someone know they are important to us, and more importantly, to the Lord.
Perhaps this is why the kiss Judas gave the Lord Jesus, not of affection, or respect and Godly love, but of deceit and betrayal, was so offensive.
However, can you imagine any greater love of the Lord when Jesus said to Simon, “You gave me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I first came in.”
In Psalms 86 we read, “Mercy and truth have met together, righteousness and peace have kissed. Truth shall spring out of the earth and righteousness shall look down from heaven.”
Do you know and love the Lord enough that you would be willing to humble yourself and bow down and kiss his feet? We are instructed to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and soul. Do we?
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