8.12.2012

FREE HUGS!!! Keep reading to find out how to get yours!

This might be the greatest video of all time. Seriously. I found this on Carlos Wittaker's Blog and I couldn't help but watch it. This isn't the first time I've seen or heard about someone giving out "free hugs", when I lived in Lexington, Jon Weece, the pastor at Southland, used to give out free hugs downtown. This is something that I have always been fascinated with, and wish I could experience on the street. For those of you that know me pretty well, you know I'm a hugger. I don't care who you are, I will probably hug you... and I have toyed with doing this before. This guy takes it to a whole new level though, he almost forces hugs on people... not really sure how he didn't get punched, but I'm glad he didn't. My favorite part has to be, "we need more of this all the time" guy.

Here's the question Los posted, and that I want to post to all of you... would you hug him? NO really, would you hug this guy, or would you look at him like he's crazy. I'll be really honest, as much as I love this, there are days where I would look at that guy like he's an alien. Slide to one side or the other and walk right past him. I think there's a couple of reactions that happen in this situation, so here they are:

1. The Cell-Phone dodge: You all know this one, it happens on a regular basis at church, youth group, in the parking lot at the mall, you see someone you don't want to talk to, BUT because you're a Christian instead of outright ignoring them, you pretend like you're answering your cell phone and just kind of wave them off-- maybe you even go with answering the phone with "Oh Hey Pastor Tim, I've been needing to talk to you" that way your "friend" really thinks you are important because the Pastor is calling  YOU.

2. The Look-Away dodge: This is where you look into a nearby store, a bird flying by overhead, or at a car passing by and pretend that you are engrossed in some deep thinking. Hoping the person looking to give you a hug will just let you pass by them. This is also works with the bell ringing Santa Claus.

3. The 5 D's: Dodge, dip, duck, dive, and dodge... (name that movie). This is pretty simple, just get out of the way of the impending hug in any way possible. Then you don't even have to deal with the awkwardness of the approaching hug. Isn't the the epitome of W.W.J.D.?

4a. Don't bro me, if you don't know me: This is when you see said hugger coming and say "sorry you've got the wrong person". This create's just enough of an awkward moment that you can slip away while the hugger drives to figure out what just happened... it's a total mind juke.

4b. The "It's been a long time bro" awkward hug: This is when whether you know the person or not, you pretend like it's been a long time since you've seen them and you hug them anyway. This can happen almost anywhere, but instead of admitting you don't know who someone is, we do the only reasonable thing there is to do in such a situation, and lie. Completely acceptable in most situations?

5. Hug away: That's right, just hug the person back. Why not? What's going to happen if you hug this random person? Maybe they haven't been hugged in 8 years (true story there), maybe the just got a new job and are celebrating, maybe someone they love just passed away and they need comfort. I think if there were more hugs in the world, things would be a lot better. I think Jesus would hug everyone He met if He felt the need. And aren't we supposed to seize every opportunity we have to be Jesus to someone?

Hug someone today... I dare you to. And when you see me next time, don't be surprised if I hug you, and feel free to use any of the 5 approaches to my hugging... because even if you avoid my hug, at least I'll know you read my blog :)

Grace and Peace


1 comment:

  1. Brad, you are so insightful in a Jerry Seinfeld kind of way! (That's a compliment) love reading your blog. Keep ,'em coming.
    As far as hugs go I used to have a thing about them... Maybe because I didn't trust them.... Not really sure...thinking there was some ulterior motive because I couldnt figure out why someone I barely knew would hug me...or maybe it was a how one was raised thing. Not sure but I've since gotten past that weirdness and have become a "sometimes" hugger if I feel the person is receptive to it. Oh, and the other thing is I never want a hug when I'm trying to hold it together let's say after getting yelled at or belittled because it would just make me fall apart and I don't want to give the yeller the satisfaction of seeing that.
    Otherwise bring on the hugs ( but after your head cold is gone;) ) Later!

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