The Power of a Touch

 

Many people are self-conscious about asking somebody to pray for them. Some don’t feel wired for verbally sharing the gospel. Others want to share God’s love with people but just don’t know how.

There is something that everybody can do. No matter who they are or what personality type they have. It is one of the most under-utilized ways to bring the healing love of our Father to people and is one of the simplest things any of us can do. It is the act of a loving touch.

A hug, a pat on the back, or even the gentle squeeze of another person’s shoulder or arm has more power than many of us realize. In fact, there is divine power in simple acts of affection. A power that can bring more to the recipient than we can imagine.

It’s interesting to note how many times Jesus touched people in the Bible when He healed them. Touch is one language of affection. Affection is the conduit through which love flows.

We may feel love for another person but without affection how will the love inside us reach them? Tender words and acts of kindness are certainly ways that love can be expressed but there is a power in affectionate touch that is saturated with divine potential.

In an article called, “The Power of Touch,” Ayana Byrd writes about touch: “It can also boost your immune system and get you back on your feet sooner, according to research done by Tiffany Field, Ph.D., director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami. And a 2004 study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that sharing a love seat with a partner for 10 minutes lowered blood pressure in premenopausal women. That study also concluded that women have reduced heart rates when they get lots of hugs. But hugs don't have to be from a romantic partner. Various other studies have shown that touch helps asthma, eases migraines, and leads to a more restful night's sleep.”

A report by ABC News discussed the connection between touch and the probability of a team winning in sports competition. They reported: “Two social psychologists from the University of California-Berkeley, both avid basketball players themselves, recently analyzed 90 hours of televised professional play. They looked at every team and every player in the league, taking note of what they determined to be 15 kinds of touch, including hugs, high fives and even flying shoulder bump.

Their conclusion: The teams that touch the most win the most.”

Are you an affectionate person? You can be. It’s one of the simplest ways you can begin to communicate love and affirmation to others. The Bible has many examples of loving touch, including John and Jesus. “And there was one of his disciples reclining (at meat) in the bosom of Jesus, whom Jesus was loving” (John 13:23 Young’s Literal Translation).

You may feel like it isn’t your nature to be affectionate, but it is because the One who created us in His image is affectionate. Step out in faith and show divine affection to somebody today. It’s a holy thing to do.

To the loved, a word of affection is a morsel; but to the love-starved, a word of affection can be a feast. – Max Lucado

“Reach out and touch somebody’s hand. Make this world a better place if you can.” – Diana Ross

Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives. – C.S. Lewis

I just don't know how to deal with so many people giving me that much affection. I never had that in my life. – Tupac Shakur

Love is not to be purchased, and affection has no price. – St. Jerome

Whenever I walk out on a stage, I'm begging for affection. – Eartha Kitt

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13