The Good News Blog

The Hugging Judge
‘Don’t bug me! Hug me!’ – Bumper Sticker

Lee Shapiro is a retired judge. He is also one of the most genuinely loving people we know. At one point in his career, Lee realized that love is the greatest power there is. As a result, Lee became a hugger. He began offering everybody a hug. His colleagues dubbed him “the hugging judge” (as opposed to the hanging judge, we suppose). The bumper sticker on his car reads, “Don’t bug me! Hug me!”

About six years ago Lee created what he calls his Hugger Kit. On the outside it reads “A heart for a hug.” The inside contains thirty little red embroidered hearts with stickums on the back. Lee will take out his Hugger Kit, go around to people and offer them a little red heart in exchange for a hug.

Lee has become so well known for this that he

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” -1 Corinthians 13:13, NIV

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Spiritual maturity isn’t measured by how long you’ve been a Christian, how much you know, or how often you go to church. Spiritual maturity is measured by the way you treat other people. It’s measured by the love you allow to operate in and through you.

1 Corinthians 13 gives us a picture of what love looks like. When we are walking in love, we treat other people with courtesy and respect. In other words, are you kind to the person at the checkout counter that may be moving too slowly? Are you gentle when you are driving down the highway and someone cuts you off? Are you patient with your family and coworkers?

These are all characteristics of love. The Bible tells us that love

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you” (Proverbs 4:25, NIV)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

What are you looking at today? Not in the natural, but with your spiritual eyes. In other words, what is in the forefront of your mind and in your heart? Are you constantly dwelling on your problems or things that have happened in your past? In the natural, you will move in the direction that your eyes are looking.

In the spiritual, it works the same way. Whatever you focus your mind and heart on, you will move toward. That’s why today’s verse tells us to look straight ahead. If you are constantly dwelling on your problems or things in your past, wondering “what if,” then you will stay right where you are. But if you choose to forgive and release the past, then you can focus on what is ahead

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“It is an honor for a man to cease from strife…” -Proverbs 20:3, AMP

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Oftentimes, challenges are merely distractions meant to keep us from pursuing our destiny. Maybe someone in the office isn’t as friendly to you as you’d like. Maybe you have a neighbor who always parks in front of your house and blocks your mailbox.

Those things may be frustrating, but they have little significance when you look at the big picture. You can’t allow the little things to open the door to strife in your life.

In the Bible, just before David fought the giant Goliath, his brother Iliab tried to confront him. David knew that arguing with Iliab wasn’t even worth his time and strength.

He knew his real battle was with Goliath, and he didn’t want to be distracted. He simply “turned away” from Iliab and kept his focus on what he was