What does a hug mean to you? For many young people in junior high and high school today, the hug is what the handshake was a generation ago.
Social hugging between males and females and combinations thereof is a gesture of friendship according to trends observed by school officials and parents. However, there are concerns. The endless need to hug can clog hallways and lead to more contentious issues like sexual harassment (Sarah Kershaw, "For Teenagers, Hello Means 'How About a Hug?'" The New York Times, May 27, 2009).
What does God's Word say about this subject? The Bible gives examples of many different kinds of greeting, including hugs, and the book of Ecclesiastes says there is a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing (3:5). Extended physical contact plays on hormones and can be precarious territory for young men and young women who are striving to remain pure. If someone isn't comfortable hugging and you are, don't demand they reciprocate. Make sure your hugs are appropriate for the occasion and that they don't invite inappropriate conduct.
