He breathed the breath of life into him.
And the man became a living person.
Genesis 2:7 The Maori of New Zealand have a traditional form of greeting.
Two people shake their right hands and at the same time place their left hand on the other person's shoulder.
The head is bent, eyes closed and their foreheads touch as their noses are pressed together twice.
The two people thus are said to share the breath of life with one another.
In the Garden of Eden, God shared the breath of life with humans for the first time.
He breathed life into Adam and made him a living person.
Although we may not greet people in the traditional Maori style, perhaps the way we speak or act towards others when we meet and greet them can breathe some life into their existence.
Research shows that one very effective way for high school teachers to make a difference in the lives of their students is to simply greet them by name and say a warm hello to them whenever they meet them in the school hallways or classrooms.
It lets students know that someone recognizes them and appreciates their presence in the school community.
Could this be exactly the 'breath of life' some students desperately need? I used to take daily early morning walks with my mother.
I noticed how she made a point of saying a friendly hello or 'good morning' to each person we met.
I sometimes wondered if perhaps my mother's cheerful greeting was the one warm kind word some lonely people received that day.
The Maori exchange the breath of life when they greet others.
We too have the opportunity to 'breathe life' into someone's day when we greet them in a warm and friendly way.
In the Garden of Eden God granted human beings the 'breath of life'.
We need to share that gift with others.