The Power of Touch

 

Touch is one of the first senses that develops in humans. Long before children can talk and understand language, their parents cradle them to make them feel better when they are stressed. The stress-relieving power of consensual touch persists throughout life but I find myself with an incredible ache in this area.

The power of touch positively impacts physical and mental health by reducing stress, anxiety and depression while improving immune function and pain management.  This is due to physiological changes, such as increased oxytocin (the "love hormone") and serotonin, and decreased cortisol (the "stress hormone"). Touch interventions, from a hug to massage, also enhance social bonds and are crucial for infant development, with studies showing benefits for newborns in weight gain, respiratory control, and overall development. 

When I taught school however, I was told on more than one occasion NEVER touch the kids you'll get sued or fired. In today's western society we complain about PDAs but we eschew holding hands, handshakes, arms around shoulders and kissing someone on the cheek. This is unhealthy and has physiological and spiritual implications.

I have a longing to be cared for. To be treated as something precious. I found this ache reflected in my hunger for positive touch.  Jesus,  freely and frequently used physical touch to love and heal others. He washed feet (John 13:12-15), gathered children in his arms (Mark 10:13-16), and restored people’s health by touching them (Matthew 8:2-3; John 9:11).

Jesus also received touch from others, such as when his feet were anointed with oil (Luke 7:36-38) and His clothing grasped by a sick woman (Mark 5:28). Jesus’s life demonstrates the value and importance He places on touch.

Touch can purify us or taint us and others. Anything that an unclean person touches becomes unclean, and anyone who touches it becomes unclean till evening.” Num 19:22

Physiological Benefits  

Hormonal Regulation: Touch triggers the release of oxytocin, which promotes bonding and trust while lowering cortisol levels, the primary stress hormone. It also increases serotonin, a neurotransmitter that acts as a natural mood booster and pain reliever. 

 Nervous System Regulation: Gentle touch stimulates the vagus nerve, which slows down the central nervous system and promotes a state of relaxation.

Immune System Boost: Touch can lead to increased levels of "killer cells," which are crucial for a healthy immune response. 

 

Mental and Emotional Well-being 

 

Reduced Stress and Anxiety: Touch interventions have been shown to significantly reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression in adults. 

 

Improved Mood: By boosting serotonin and oxytocin levels, touch promotes positive emotions and feelings of well-being. 

 

Enhanced Social Connections: A compassionate caress or warm embrace can foster a sense of 

community

 

Hugs Simple, everyday touches that provide comfort, reduce stress, and enhance social connections.

 

Hand-holding and patting:  Common ways to offer comfort and support, particularly beneficial for the elderly and those feeling distressed

In the Bible, touch  signifies blessing, healing, spiritual transformation and divine authority. as demonstrated by Jesus's physical contact bringing healing to the sick and restoring the dead, and the laying on of hands in the early church to impart the Holy Spirit and commission believers. Touch conveys God's desire for intimate connection with humanity, making the divine tangible through compassion, authority, and the activation of faith.

Examples of Touch and Faith in the Bible

Authority: Jesus's touch demonstrated His authority over illness, sin, and even death itself 

 

An outward expression of inward belief: The touch in these biblical accounts was not the cause of the healing, but rather the outward action of the person's inward faith and trust in God.

A tangible connection to the divine: In a spiritual sense, touch can be seen as a way to connect with the divine, to a person or a power, and through that connection, experience God's power and grace.

            

An act of conviction and action: It demonstrated a decisive act of faith and conviction on the part of the person, a belief that God's  power was present and accessible through Jesus

Blessing In the Old Testament, Isaac laid hands on Jacob to confer a blessing, showing touch as a means of conferring spiritual benefits (Genesis 27)

Imparting the Holy Spirit: Ananias laid hands on Saul (Paul) in the New Testament to restore his           sight and fill him with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17).

Jesus Touching Others: Jesus frequently used physical touch as part of his ministry, demonstrating his love and compassion, and often healing people by touching them. 

He touched the leper and cleansed him (Matthew 8:3).

He took the children in his arms (Mark 10:16).

He touched the blind man's eyes to restore his sight (John 9:6).

He took the hand of a dying girl to raise her from the dead (Mark 5:41).

The Woman with an Issue of Blood: This woman, believing that if she could just touch Jesus's cloak she would be healed, reached out and touched his garment. Her touch was an act of faith that Jesus recognized, leading to her immediate healing.        

But for many like myself our understanding of touch is tainted be a past of physical and sexual abuse. We need to relearn what healthy touch is suppose to be. We need to be willing to be Jesus with skin on for our sisters and brothers. For me, love looks like a hand on my shoulder as someone prays for me during a traumatic memory. nothing sexual or tainted jest the physical evidence of compassion and love. Its holding someone's hand or putting my hand on their shoulder as I pray, because isn't most prayer just asking Jesus to make His love manifest?

Transformation comes from the touch of the Master perhaps you can be that touch.

Touch of the Master's Hand

‘Twas battered and scarred,
And the auctioneer thought it
hardly worth his while
To waste his time on the old violin,
but he held it up with a smile.
“What am I bid, good people”, he cried,
“Who starts the bidding for me?”
“One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?”
“Two dollars, who makes it three?”
“Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three,”

But, No,
From the room far back a gray bearded man
Came forward and picked up the bow,
Then wiping the dust from the old violin
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody, pure and sweet
As sweet as caroling angel sings.

The music ceased and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said “What now am I bid for this old violin?”
As he held it aloft with its’ bow.
“One thousand, one thousand, Do I hear two?”
“Two thousand, Who makes it three?”
“Three thousand once, three thousand twice,
Going and gone”, said he.

The audience cheered,
But some of them cried,
“We just don’t understand.”
“What changed its’ worth?”
Swift came the reply.
“The Touch of the Masters Hand.”

And many a man with life out of tune
All battered with bourbon and gin
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd
Much like that old violin
A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on.
He is going once, he is going twice,
He is going and almost gone.

But the Master comes,
And the foolish crowd never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
By the Touch of the Master’s Hand.”

~Myra Brooks Welch