The Hug

It was a cold, damp, gloomy day. She sat in a pew in the funeral home with some of her friends and one of her professors. Her mother had died unexpectedly, and now she was in a position where she had to carry a lot more of the load at home. I walked down the aisle on the right, and when she saw me, she stood up, walked over, and we embraced. It was a long, tight hug, one you wish you never have to give to one of your students. We talked for a while, still locked in our hug, and then we went and sat down. What do you say to someone at a time like this? Sometimes nothing.

 “…Weep with them that weep.”

Romans 12:15 (ASV)

A hug is a means of communicating love to and unity with another person. They say that it boosts the level of the hormone oxytocin, and they say that helps us connect emotionally with someone else. It’s also claimed that hugging increases the level of the neurotransmitter dopamine in our brain, and as a result hugging helps relieve stress and tension. This is all good and well, but it’s rather technical. When you really, really need a hug and you get a genuine one, you know it’s helpful.

Our ability to encourage a struggling person grows when we struggle. God trains us with comfort in our affliction so that we can transfer our comfort to others.

 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

who comforts us in all our affliction,

so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction,

with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

II Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV)

Do you want to be able to comfort others? Ask God to teach you to do so. And then fasten your seatbelt.

It was a much nicer day. I walked into the first floor of the Howell Memorial Science Building in the morning, heading toward my office. As I passed the stairs that lead to the second floor, I heard the rapid pitter-patter of feet coming down. There she was again. “Dr. Vogt! Dr. Vogt! Dr. Vogt! I just found out–I got into medical school! You’re the first person I’ve told!” We met on the first floor, and again we hugged, this time out of joy.

“Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep.”

Romans 12:15 (ASV)

Sometimes the other side of the coin is glorious.