Part 6 What I am FOR - Kisses

British men have a problem with kisses. Not the saliva-drenched, tongue-filled snogging that you do with ‘yer bird’. But any other kind of kiss that represents affection without any hint of desire or libido. The Italians, French and Spaniards have no problem with it. In those countries you greet almost everyone with a kiss. But here if you are a man and you kiss another man then there is only one reason: you are gay.

The Biblical imagery of ‘a kiss’ is clear and frequent. One of the most frequent words used to describe worship in the New Testament means to ‘kiss’. We are encouraged 5 times to ‘greet one another with a holy kiss’. Jesus defends the prostitute who kissed His feet in worship and, of course, He even allows himself to be betrayed with a kiss.

The trouble for us is our culture sexualises everything. Everything is an innuendo, or a double entendre. It’s as if we are all stuck in an inescapable Carry On film. So when we start talking about ‘kisses’ and ‘intimacy’ in the context of a relationship with God is makes a lot of people uncomfortable, even squirmish.

There are those that find the idea of ‘kissing’ as a metaphor for worship to be simply irreverent. There are plenty who find that intimate language and imagery is an anathema to their view of a Holy God. Yet I find all arguments against intimate worship to be unfounded and wholly unconvincing.

"Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." - Luke 7:44-47

She kissed not in defiance of His Holiness, but because of His Holiness. She is the only one who has seen who He really is. Her actions of extravagant praise and of tears and kisses cut through all socially acceptable norms.

Think about it.

A prostitute who is crying whilst pouring out perfume on His feet before letting down her hair and wiping away her tears.

The sexual connotations are not lost on the Pharisee. He is outraged that such an irreverent, defiled and wasteful act would happen in His house. Yet this act of worship delights Jesus and He defends her eloquently, passionately rejecting the Pharisee’s admonishment.

We must continue to proceed into intimate worship, coming forward to kiss Him, with no shame or guilt. We certainly must not surrender to bringing in the baggage of our overly sexualised culture.

He is our King and He deserves nothing less than our kisses at His feet.