A few years back, do-it-yourself checkout at US grocery stores was in vogue—but not these days. There’s been a noticeable decline in the usage of the self-serve lanes—down to just 16 percent of all supermarket transactions from a high of 22 percent 3 years ago.
Why? It appears that people enjoy their shopping experience much more when they can have a living, breathing human cashier assist them. Using a price-scanning machine themselves just doesn’t cut it. One shopper said, “[Having a cashier is] just more interactive. You get someone who says hello; you get a person to talk to if there’s a problem.”
Jesus showed that human touch is vital as He ministered on earth. When He was healing people, He would often physically touch them. For example, there was the leper and a woman with a fever in Matthew 8, the woman with the bleeding issue and the two blind men in Matthew 9, the deaf man in Mark 7, and the man with swollen limbs in Luke 14.
One dramatic healing in which Jesus used “touch” occurred on a Sabbath day (Luke 13:10). Jesus came upon a woman “who had been crippled by an evil spirit” (Luke 13:11). She was in bad shape, “bent double for eighteen years” (Luke 13:11). Sure, He could have simply used words to heal her as He did with others. Instead, “He touched her” and she was healed instantly. The result? “She praised God!” (Luke 13:13).
There is something special about human touch. We might possess plenty of words of encouragement for those around us and even write out a check from time to time to help those in need. But when we extend a helping hand and physically assist those in need, we imitate the compassion and love of Jesus. It’s something that might even result in their praising God!
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Mark 10:17-31
More:
Read Luke 22:50-51 and note the healing touch Jesus used even as He was being threatened.
Next:
How have you seen the power of touch reveal God’s love? How is physical touch something profound when you consider that we’ve been made in God’s image and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit?
askbeloved on August 24, 2012 at 8:32 am
Thanks and God bless you for this timely reminder. We cannot show true love to others from afar but must come close. Lesson learnt..
tom felten on August 24, 2012 at 9:01 am
askbeloved, I saw this portrayed last night as some of my family met with an aunt who is ailing. As my brother lovingly brought her a cup of juice that she was craving and held it to her lips, there was evident happiness on her face. As he touched her arm and told her that he loved her you could see a peace and joy wash over her.
Lamont on August 24, 2012 at 10:31 am
Sadly, I am heartend by this writing–to think that people in this sad, modern age desire a living, breathing human cashier assist them.
People would rather text than actually talk. Or jam their faces into a smartphone than actually “see” the world around them–of course while they are walking on a crowded sidewalk at the same time.
Grace requires touch, speech, human interaction.
tom felten on August 24, 2012 at 3:35 pm
Lamont, I also grieve what has been lost in some of the ways we communicate today. One of the interesting results is the misreading of a text or email that causes people unnecessary hurt or disappointment. It’s still so much better to communicate eye-to-eye and to experience the healthy human interactions.
winn collier on August 27, 2012 at 11:59 am
I’m so thankful God’s idea of incarnation was not a vending machine Savior.
mike wittmer on August 28, 2012 at 10:21 am
Another irony is that technology which is meant to speed things up actually slows us down. Often I can check out faster with an actual cashier, and as you say, it’s much more enjoyable. There is nothing like being in the presence of a breathing, warm person.