Xoxo

XOXO

Bible Blast: Read Genesis 33:1-12

Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.

Genesis 33:4 (NIV)

Ever wonder how XOXO came to mean “kisses and hugs”? The X symbol was traditionally a symbol for the Christian cross and for the first letter of the Greek word for Christ, Xristos. Could there be a more awesome symbol of love than Jesus? The O is believed to be a symbol that looks like two people’s arms meeting for a hug.

Imagine the hug between Esau and Jacob. Remember how Esau traded his family inheritance for that pot of stew? What came after that was the grudge. When it had been many years since they last saw one another, Jacob decided to go back to his homeland with his family. As he drew near, he suddenly saw Esau coming to meet them with four hundred men! Jacob didn’t know if he was going to live or die. He put his children in front of him, hoping Esau would be merciful, and he got down on the ground behind them to bow before his brother. Bowing seven times was commonly associated with a sign of respect for a king. Jacob didn’t want to take any chances! But when Esau saw him, he ran to him and hugged him!

Imagine how hard this reunion must have been for both of them. For Esau, Jacob was the man he’d once wanted to kill. And Jacob was hugging the man who had wanted to kill him! But time had allowed the bitter wounds to heal, and the brothers were able to see that their relationship was more important than their real estate. They’d finally learned to share and to love each other.

You might not have an inheritance, but you have real estate. Your room is your “real estate.” Your hairbrush is your property. The family computer is shared property. Do you value your relationship with your brothers and/or sisters as more important than those things?

Maybe today would be a good day to share some of Jesus’ love and some hugs by sharing what is “yours.”

Girl Gab: Daughter, let’s start with you today. On a scale of 1 to10 (1 being very bad and 10 being almost perfect), how good are you at sharing things with your siblings? What do you need to do in response to how you have rated yourself? Mom, encourage your daughter in her evaluation, and help her to follow through with a plan of response. (Hint: She might start with a hug.)