50 Lessons to 50 © In the Old Testament (Leviticus 25), the 50th year was labeled The Year of Jubilee. It represented a year of restoration and blessing. It was declared The Sabbath’s Sabbath. Fifty lessons that I hope I have learned as I make my way to 50 (presented in the 50 days preceding my 50th birthday). LESSON # 42: HELLO…GOODBYE There is probably no better exchange or expression of our relationships than our salutations. Our “Hellos” and our “Goodbyes” speak volumes. I use greetings such as Hello…Hi…Howdy…Wassup? What’s happenin? What’s going on? My goodbyes range from “Later”…”Take care”…”We’ll See Ya”…”Be Easy”…”Hold it down”…”Godspeed”…and is there a better sign off on the phone than the infamous “Buh Bye”? Nevertheless, our hellos and goodbyes mean so much more than mere words. There’s no better place to catch the raw emotions of love and affection than at an airport or a train station. You get to see a young child run into the arms of a parent who has been traveling…Lovers who have been separated by distance…An old friend arriving for a visit…The greetings are not particularly unique, a kiss, a hug, a handshake, a smile…But all intensely personal. It’s fairly easy to contrast those on the front end of a reunion with those who are about to experience the “sweet sorrow” of goodbye. The euphoria of a hello is replaced with the sadness of a goodbye. Tears of sadness are shed for a child whom you will not see again for months or maybe longer, particularly if they’re serving in the military…A loved one moving far away to take a new job. Skyping, Face Timing, and other modes of social media technology have made it much easier to stay connected, but nothing can replace the human touch. There are no substitutes for the smells, sights, sounds of hearts that are connected. Given the fragility of life, it’s very dangerous to take for granted that we will have another opportunity to see our friend or loved one. Even the way we begin and conclude our phone conversations, speaks volumes. My grandfather learned to use the telephone long before the phone companies offered unlimited plans. As a result, he kept his calls short and never said “goodbye” – when he was done talking, the next sound you heard was a dial tone. But think about it, there will be a final conversation that we all have with everyone. It certainly does not generate a pleasant thought, but there’s a final time for everything. I really like how my Jewish friends handle hellos and goodbyes by using the term “Shalom”. Shalom means peace, completeness, and prosperity, and can be used idiomatically to mean both ‘Hello’ and ‘Goodbye’. Shalom represents wholeness between the Creator and His creation. As author Cornelius Plantinga says, “Shalom is the way things ought to be.” The Apostle John provides a great blessing in 3 John 1:2 when he says, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth”. Shalom is a very powerful blessing to give and receive as we come and go. A story is told of a dying man who gathers his family around his deathbed. He said “so long” to all of his family except one son to whom he said “Good bye.” His son asked, “Why are you saying ‘goodbye’ to me and ‘so long’ to everyone else?” The father’s replied with compassion by saying, “Because the others have made a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, I will see them again. You, on the other hand, have chosen to live in rebellion and will not be spending eternity with Jesus, which is where I’ll be.” CONCLUSION TO LESSON #42 on my 50 days to 50 salutation, I am learning the importance of my hellos and the significance of my goodbyes. I must make them count and never take for granted that I’ll have another opportunity to speak a blessing of Shalom into another’s life, soul, and spirit. I pray Shalom into your life, soul, and spirit as you read this.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Jun 2013 02:11:25 +0000
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