The Holiness of a Hug.

The other day I was working. It was any normal day except this day was different. I was asked to cover breaks at the front door so the all-the-time-greeters could take their breaks. Normally this job would be expected to be mundane and boring. Those expectations are definitely met. Why didn’t I kick and scream and throw a fit about having to fulfill a duty that offends my overall abilities and talents? Why did I gladly find myself accepting this “challenge” to stoop to a new level of humility? Simply because someone has this job all the time. I have pity on them. So, gratefully, I walked over to the front door and assumed my position on the bouncy mat that keeps your legs from feeling like they are going to fall off. I went about business, checking the prestigious Sam’s Club Member Identification Cards and handing out flyers for our promotion going on through July 4th.

Sidenote: To the valued Sam’s Club members who may stumble upon this blog before July 4th, 2011: You are strongly encouraged to go to your local Sam’s Club and participate in their E-Values discounts going on this week. You will find great deals on watermelons, sausages, televisions, laptops and many more items.

As it usually happens, on average every 3 out of 5 members forget that they are to show their cards at the door in order to be granted access into the Disney World of…junk. Sam’s Club. A young family came in: the husband, the wife, and their son who looked to be of three.two years of age. As the father stumbled through his pocket for his wallet and then through his wallet for his golden ticket into the magical warehouse, the little boy took one look at me and walked right over smiled and hugged me. A big hug. As big as a three.two year old boy could give. Yet gentle. Did this boy know me? Was this boy one of the little kids that I had babysat at Evangel and scared the living daylights out of?

No.

He was just a little boy.
Smiling. Hugging. Loving.
Unconditionally.

The mother then proceeded to say, “Oh my! He really doesn’t know a stranger!”
My first thought: You need to do something about that before he hugs up on some creepy middle-aged man who wants to offer him candy and a ride in his “Mystery Van”
My second thought: This is what life is all about. Maybe not literally hugging on complete strangers. I would assume that once this little boy is thirty.two years of age, that would not be socially acceptable and would find him with a few nights in jail and a few restraining orders. However, this little boy had it figured out. We need to love each and every member of this planet unconditionally. And, when we find life on Mars, we need to love them too. There was something so holy about this little boy’s embrace that just makes sense.

God called us to love. There was no side note. There were no stipulations, regulations, or exceptions.
We are to know no strangers. We are to “hug” everyone.

The rest of my day contained an extra spring in my step…and it had nothing to do with the bouncy mat that I got to stand on while greeting members at the door. I was mentally hugging everyone I saw. And all with a smile on my face.

Stay Tuned for Profound Thoughts,
Ashlee