tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5752966919895369470.post6564866712215005974..comments2023-05-01T04:59:27.711-05:00Comments on The James 1:22 Project: Week 10: Encourage One Another, Part 1Nathan W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16428455412285952660noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5752966919895369470.post-25244699255915357442010-04-09T12:08:33.172-05:002010-04-09T12:08:33.172-05:00Ah, noted, thanks for the further insight, Nathan....Ah, noted, thanks for the further insight, Nathan. And consider Steve fairly warned in case he needs to be the first receiver of this godly affection...Janele Oroshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16177850381551331615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5752966919895369470.post-66320739180470345652010-04-08T12:37:46.528-05:002010-04-08T12:37:46.528-05:00Thanks so much for the encouragement, Janele. One...Thanks so much for the encouragement, Janele. One of things that I've seen this week is that once I became open to encouraging and went through my day with the expectation that God wants me to encourage others, many opportunities have been presented. It is so easy for us to do and can be so meaningful to others. I really want to make it a daily habit for the rest of my life.<br /><br />I'm not sure that I agree with the hearty handshake interpretation actually. A "holy kiss" is commanded several times in the New Testament, and there's nothing in the context of those commands to suggest that it's culturally specific. I think maybe the idea is that we are commanded to love one another---that doesn't end with feeling affection for one another but it starts with real sincere affection. Even the amazing Bible scholar John Piper says it's a gray area whether the command for a holy kiss is universal in nature or only cultural. We are supposed to express our affection for one another in a physical way. So, maybe a warm hug is the modern equivalent, but I don't think a hearty handshake is really in the spirit of that command. When you're talking about men and women, there needs to be boundaries there. I'll certainly err on the side of caution. I'm not going to walk up to you any time soon, Janele, and plant a kiss on your cheek; I promise. I won't, however, make the same promise to Steve; tell him to watch out. I'll have to do some serious thinking about it when, and if, I get to it. I'm not prepared to just dismiss the idea, however, because it makes me uncomfortable.Nathan W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16428455412285952660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5752966919895369470.post-15662050584683372332010-04-08T10:32:13.587-05:002010-04-08T10:32:13.587-05:00oh, and I read a commentary once that said the upd...oh, and I read a commentary once that said the updated, Western cultural version of 'holy kiss' is a 'hearty handshake'....I strongly recommend you go the handshake route.Janele Oroshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16177850381551331615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5752966919895369470.post-85851234324021947442010-04-08T10:30:59.385-05:002010-04-08T10:30:59.385-05:00Great week! Encouraging is almost selfish because...Great week! Encouraging is almost selfish because it feels so good to build others up, but as you mentioned, it's not done nearly enough. I know I should act on this more. <br /><br />Let me encourage you, Nathan. We, as a church, are blessed to have men like yourself, who are gifted in wisdom and discernment, who love God with complete abandon, and who edify their brothers and sisters with things such as this blog. Keep it up, and thanks for sharing your thoughts this week.Janele Oroshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16177850381551331615noreply@blogger.com