THE POWER OF A HUG

In the December, 30, 1996 issue of Sports Illustrated, columnist Rick Reilly wrote about golfer Greg Norman and his loss of the 1996 Masters Golf Tournament. If you are familiar with Greg Norman, you know that he can be intimidating, with his icy-cold stoicism. It seems he learned his hard-nosed tactics from his father. "I used to see my father getting off a plane or something, and I'd want to hug him," he recalled once, "but he'd only shake my hand." This had a tremendous impact upon Norman for when commenting on his own aloofness going into the 1996 Masters golf tournament, he snorted, "Nobody really knows me out here."

After leading the tournament from the start, Norman blew a six-shot lead in the last round, losing to rival Nick Faldo.

Rick Reilly wrote, "Now, as Faldo made one last thrust into Norman's heart with a 15-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole, the two of them came toward each other, Norman trying to smile, looking for a handshake and finding himself in the warmest embrace instead.

"As they held that hug, held it even as both of them cried, Norman changed just a little. 'I wasn't crying because I'd lost,' Norman said the next day. 'I've lost a lot of golf tournaments before. I'll lose a lot more. I cried because I'd never felt that from another man before. I've never had a hug like that in my life.'"

It is sad that some have grown up knowing only the primary expression of their father’s love through his providing the physical necessities of life. Too many fathers have spent too much time trying to provide too many material things for their children who really needed the things many fathers were not willing to give – their time and tenderness. In Paul first letter to Timothy, he tells the young preacher, ". . . if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Timothy 5:8 NKJV). Was Paul only referring to physical needs? Would this not also apply to spiritual and emotional needs? Hopefully, fathers have gotten wiser over the years, and this new generation of fathers realize the importance of giving time and tenderness to their children.

It is interesting to note that when our Lord stood in the Temple in Jerusalem prophesying of the horrendous destruction of it and the city, he said of Jerusalem, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!" (Matthew 23:37 NKJV). Even God desires to embrace his children.

Losing the 1996 Masters probably cost Greg Norman close to half a million dollars in prize money – a six stroke lead squandered away – but what he took away from tournament money could not buy. It was priceless. Dads, spend some time with your son or daughter today and, by all means, give them a hug! Don’t make them wait until they are in their forties to learn that cold aloofness does not define manhood.