by Have you every given someone a hunch punch? This is when you meet someone face to face and instead of being friendly, you pass them by without saying a word. That is called, a hunch punch, and it is more hurtful than a slap across the cheek or a belt in the belly. It can cause a broken heart.
When you ignore someone… it hurts! The illusion we show you in video two shows Journey can pick up confetti and glitter without touching it. He uses friction. Friction can make paper stick to a balloon.
Friction can happen between two people when they ignore one another. You don’t need to touch someone to make them feel badly or to make their day more cheerful. Your attitude and the look on your face, can help or hinder.
There are three reasons people give a hunch punch.
- The person who you pass, may appear dangerous. For your own safety, you give them the cold shoulder and flee the scene.
- He or she may look extremely rich, famous, beautiful or more attractive than yourself. The fear of rejection by someone who looks better than you may cause you to shy away from the situation.
- Finally, you may be too tired or bothered with your own troubles to take the time to be nice.
These are the three major reasons people give hunch punches and some people who walk by you are very, very good at this game. Both of you walk quickly straight ahead and do not stop until you are both out of sight.
The sad thing about these avoidance behaviors is, they may cause you to lose a good friend.
Journey gives Husky hunch punches, all the time. He was never taught properly to socialize with any other dogs. I did not raise him. He had to fend for himself at a very young age. Left alone to fight predators of all kinds, he became aggressive toward outsiders. Slowly, he has learned to wag his tail and act friendly but this has taken a long time.
Did you know that Journey is a living, walking, illusion? He is! Everyone believes he is a husky. He looks like one. He talks like one but he is really the mixture of an Akita and an Alaskan Husky. We call him a, Huskita!
The way someone appears to you, is an illusion. Most often, that person is not what you think. We must dare to adventure into new friendships even if someone looks odd.
Vegetables and fruits from the market fool us, too. If you never tasted a pineapple before, you might bite into it. That would be a painful surprise! The pineapple is not like other fruits, it is coated with a thorny rind so that pests cannot ruin the wonderful food inside. It makes itself look undesirable to protect it from harm. People do this, too.
The lemon that you saw in video one is not a stunt or an illusion but it fools us just the same. Be careful when you select your lemons. The fruit that has a bright, yellow ripe appearance may deceive you!. The other side of the lemon may be dark green like a lime. Which is it? Is it a lemon or a lime? Only the taste will tell.
We can compare an orange, an apple or a green banana to people that we meet. They may look ripe and juicy when you pick them out of the crowd but they might not be mature. That means they have not grown up yet. That person may be too childish to be a good friend. Give them some time before you pour your heart and soul into a friendship with them. Wait until they sweeten with age, like fruit on the vine.
Have you noticed many people hide behind colorful clothing, make-up , jewelry and tatoos? They draw your attention to the beauty of their appearance. This is not wrong. It is just another illusion we need to be aware of. They, too, may secretly want a nice friend.
Scripture Application:
Many passages in the Bible declare the truth that God sees the heart. He is not concerned with how we look. (1 Samuel l6)
If you have received Christ as your Lord, your body is a temple of God. It is the place where the Lord Jesus Christ resides. He lives in us. We are taught to be clean and wear appropriate clothing that does not distract from who we truly are. We are children of God and we love the Lord. For this reason, we dress appropriately and in clean, tidy clothing.
We want people to be attracted to the person inside our clothes not the clothes or jewelry on the outside. This does not mean that we cannot wear things which make us more attractive.
People who love the Lord, try to look beyond appearances. Listen to the words a person says before making a judgment about them. Take the first step toward friendship by avoiding a hunch punch. Watch, learn and listen to discern the heart of someone.
Describe three different people and the way they dress, behave and speak. Explain the impression they give.
How do you dress and behave when someone walks by you for the very first time?
Boundaries Application:
We learn early in our lives who are angry, dangerous people to avoid. Just like Journey, we may avoid people like this. If you truly feel a person is dangerous, you may nod discreetly yet kindly at this person but avoid a conversation. This way, you do not hurt their feelings. This is creating a boundary they may understand. You are not rejecting them, you are looking out for your own health and safety.
Sometimes, a person may try too hard to be friendly. He may call, text or visit you all the time. That is too much! This is when it is time to make boundaries. It is very, very difficult to keep from hurting someone’s feelings if they like you and want to be with you all the time. It is good to establish early in your friendship that you both must call one another or text one another before you meet them face to face. This means you respect one another. Each of you must plan the best time to share with each other so you both can give each other, undivided attention.
Finally, make time to meet new people. Practice social skills. Have in mind a trick up your sleeve or tell someone about an interesting thing you read in the news. Facts, jokes, stunts and lots of questions help to make a good impression. Most importantly, give someone time to become friends. We have all been hurt and it takes time to heal.+
