At the Ohatchee church of Christ where I worship, several of the men and I rotate leading the communion devotion each week. My good friend Rod Pollard is one of the best speakers I know. Recently Rod was leading the devotion and noted a statistic that ten hugs per day would generate enough serotonin in a person to calm a depressive episode. I am confident in Rod’s research, especially since he has spent more than sixteen years in pharmaceuticals. Since that day, I have been thinking, if I could just line up ten people to hug me every day, how wonderful that would be. It sounds funny, but the desire to have that kind of affectionate relationship with your friends and loved ones is exactly what God intended for us, especially since compassion causes natural positive feelings. It’s a symbiosis, advantageous to both parties.
Most people probably have the same story about their church families, but I am certainly honored and blessed to worship with more than two hundred of the best Christians. Sundays are such rejuvenating days because we come together to praise and worship our Father and remember the life, death, burial and resurrection of our Savior. In addition to the praise and worship, the edification and fellowship one with another is so comforting and motivational. I have a lot of friends who talk to me frequently about dealing with emotional issues, depression, etc. The first thing I tell everyone is that you have to talk to God and you need as much support as you can get. For me, I have progressed so much over the last few years because of the relationship I have with my brothers and sisters in Christ. My Minister, Wayne Dunaway is the most open and compassionate preacher I have ever known. He’s the first person to admit that he makes mistakes every day and that Christians are sinners trying to get to Heaven. When you worship in that mindset, there is no hypocrisy, because no one is pretending to be perfect.
My good friend Patricia Dulaney gives me the biggest hug every Sunday and the days that either of us are feeling the least bit down, we just hold on a little longer and tighter. The smiles that come from Zip Lambert, Louise Williams, and Gladys Muncher are so reassuring and right on time. Sometimes, Jolaine Bowers will walk right up and take me by the hand and just say, “proud of you,” and it provides the strength and encouragement to keep serving the Lord and loving the friends he places in our path. The men who worship in our congregation are not afraid to show affection and compassion. Whether in our frequent handshakes, pats on the back, or encouraging hugs, we enjoy being brothers. Not only do I get support and encouragement at services, but my church family keeps in touch with me all week. I rarely post anything on Facebook that doesn’t get a word of encouragement from the beautiful Kay Wildman.
We are all taught in sermons and by reading scriptures that we need to do a better job of living the Christian life every day of the week, not just on Sundays. Imagine what the world would be like if we were able to show each other the same compassion at work, school, in social circles, and even in our families that we enjoy on the first day of the week. As part of my self-treatment for depression, I think I am going to work a little harder to show kindness and encouragement on a daily basis to everyone I meet. I think Rod was definitely on to something regarding the hugs. We can’t just go up to a stranger and hug them, or start touching everyone at our jobs, but the attitude of compassion that initiates a hug can certainly be reflected in our behavior.
I encourage anyone who faces emotional challenges to rely on God and Christian friends to get them through the hard times. When we turn to God, we find that he uses others to comfort us just when we need it. Every person deserves a warm and friendly support system in life. We will all face tribulation and challenges, it’s inspiring to know we can gather together as servants of the Lord, support and love one another in this life as we will in eternity.
I am definitely looking for ten hugs a day!
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