This may be a bit personal, but have you ever kissed someone and tasted something sweet or salty? You know, you kiss and lick your lips and wonder what they just ate. Some lipstick has a taste (I am told) but this is a taste that tells you they just ate something and did not wipe their mouth.
The other day Ashton and I were sitting on the couch playing and she gave me a kiss. One which tasted a bit salty. Salty scares me. Was she eating potato chips, peanuts, or…does she have a runny nose?
So, I wondered, are there any references to a kiss or kissing in the bible? If so, what kind of kisses can be found?
In the book of Romans, Paul encouraged his readers to “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” And we find in other New Testament books encouragement to greet others with a kiss. I assume these kisses were on the cheek so they did not have to wonder what they had been eating. It is also encouraged to give a “holy” kiss, which I am sure would be sweet.
The bible talks of deceitful kisses, “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses” Proverbs 27:6. A woman kissed the feet of Jesus, Luke 7:38. Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss, Luke 22:48. There is the kiss of death, “Joab said to Amasa, How are you, my brother? Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.” And without giving all the gory details Joab killed Amasa, 2 Samuel 20:9-10. Another deceitful kiss came from Jacob to his father Isaac when he tricked Isaac into believing he was his brother Esau thus stealing the blessing reserved for his older brother.
There are also kisses of affection found in scripture. “Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them.” (Genesis 31:55) Esau and Jacob mended their differences with an embrace and a kiss, Genesis 33:4. In Solomon’s Song of Songs, there are several references to kissing one’s lover. This is the kiss I like. When our children see Diane and I kissing, they moan and say yuck or try to get in between us to keep us from kissing, but all in fun. I think they really like knowing that we love each other and want to be together.
Greeting each other with a holy kiss would not be a bad habit to return to. Maybe if we showed a little more affection and a little less aggression the world would be a better place.
By the way, Ashton had not been eating chips or peanuts! I will be more careful in the future.
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