Cuddle Parties

There is a new phenomenon sweeping the nation. It is something called a "Cuddle Party." What happens in these events is that adults get together and... well... cuddle. They hold hands and hug and rub each others shoulders and just sit around and hold each other. Keep in mind that these people could well be complete strangers. The rules are that there is absolutely no sexual touching, so, I guess that at least is one good element, if the rules are enforced it won't devolve into a swingers party.

This sounds really crazy to me. I mean, the idea of cuddling with complete strangers, or, let's face it, even friends, is a little creepy to me. But the reason that I find this a topic worthy of a blog post is why adults would go in for something like this. It seems to me, and if you have an alternate theory, by all means, please share it, that there must be some need inside this person that they are trying to fill. Either they are lonely, or they lack meaningful relationships. It seems to me that you would have to feel pretty empty inside to go somewhere to cuddle with other adults.

My first thought was, get these people some Chocolate Skittles! But I quickly thought about it a little more deeply than that.

A former Pastor used to talk about people with a God-shaped hole in their heart, which, I think, pretty well sums up what we are talking about here. I also think that the rising popularity of these events should send us a clear message that there are a lot of people who feel empty and are reaching, grasping for anything to fill that need. In John 4:35 Jesus says, "Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!" (NKJV) I think that this idea of cuddle parties is absolute proof positive of what Jesus is saying here.

There is a song I remember well from my childhood, called "People Need The Lord." One line from that song said, "When will we realize, that we must give our lives? For people need The Lord!"

This is something that I've been thinking a lot about lately, and struggling with the question of what can I do. It is so easy to get caught up in our own daily lives, and our own affairs, and the endless distractions that this world offers to keep us from doing the work that we need to do for the cause of Jesus Christ, and for the people who need Him.

Something to chew on: Those of us who are Saved will one day stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ. At that time our works will be judged, whether or not they are of eternal value, but our Souls have already been redeemed, and we need not fear eternal judgement in Hell. But do we really want to stand there and watch everything that we have ever done in our Christian lives just burn up and be gone, and find that we have done nothing that is worthy of the Kingdom? I know I don't want that.

Even more compelling though is this: Those who are not Saved will one day stand before the Great White Throne of Judgement, will they will learn that nothing that they have done will get them into Heaven, and they will be eternally judged in Hell. Their works, good or bad, will be of no consequence, because their Souls will not have been redeemed. What more motivation should we need than this?