In general, dark chocolate is more straightforward, less playful than milk chocolate. Those who favor dark chocolate have little patience with cute candy. (Sandra Boynton, Chocolate: The Consuming Passion)

    Remember the story of King Midas, whose greed caused him to wish that everything he touched would turn to gold? At first his new life seemed glorious. All the wealth he could ever want was at his fingertips! But then he touched a rose, and when the newly golden flower lost its scent, he was struck with a twinge of sadness. His melancholy deepened when the bird he touched could no longer sing through its gold beak. But what finally broke the king’s heart was when he reached out to touch his precious daughter, and she turned into a statue of gold before his eyes. The moral of the story? There are many things in life more important than money.

    I’d like to propose a different sort of story for us here. Instead of “The Midas Touch,” our story is called “The Chocolate Touch.” In this tale we meet sweet Candace (called “Candy” by those who loved her), who desired chocolate as she desired breath. Now, this was a woman who knew her chocolate. She could discourse for hours about the presentation, snap, and mouth-feel of the various chocolate brands. She could explain at length the myth of “white” chocolate and expound extensively on the emotional fluctuations caused by chocolate’s theobromine content. Candy could even tell what kind of filling was in each bonbon or truffle without secretly poking a hole in the bottom or nibbling off a tiny edge. She instinctively knew how to avoid the dreaded nougat and choose the raspberry cream instead.

    Perhaps inspired by her Great-Uncle Midas, Candy wished that all she touched would turn to chocolate. To her delight, her wish was granted by the fairy of Chocolateland, Queen Godiva. Candy quickly reached out to a nearby honeysuckle bush, and the leaves turned to chocolate — a delicious garnish for her chocolate cheesecake later that evening, she thought. Next she let her hand fall upon a pecan tree, and immediately she had unlimited access to wonderfully nutty chocolate bark. When a little rabbit crossed her path, she reached out and watched it turn into a solid chunk of chocolaty sweetness. (Didn’t you ever wonder how the idea for chocolate Easter bunnies was conceived?)

    As the day progressed, Candy touched item after item around her house and neighborhood. “Just think of all the money I’ll save on Valentine’s Day presents this year!” she gloated as she turned rose after rose into rich chocolate delicacies. Soon her entire home was transformed. Even her car was racing on chocolate syrup fuel in its cocoa-dust-covered engine. Life had never seemed better.

    But finally, as with King Midas, Candy’s day took a turn for the worse. Her beloved son, Hershey, came home from school and reached up to kiss her. (He wasn’t old enough yet to be embarrassed by displays of affection.) At that instant he was forever frozen in time — the world’s first Hershey’s Kiss. (Well, it might have happened that way!)

    The moral of this bittersweet story? No, it’s not that I have a corny sense of humor (and an obvious love for chocolate). Rather, it’s that we need to be aware of the vast number of touches we make each and every day. Of course, it would be impossible to list every surface our hand touches over a twenty-four-hour period — every doorknob, every handle, every tabletop, every cup or dish; we simply have our fingers on too many things and in too many places.

    Yet most of us could track the number of people we touch in a day. Think about it. Each encounter, no matter how brief, would count. Your spouse and children, the crossing guard you wave to as you leave for work, the attendant at the gas station, your coworkers, the clerk at the post office, the kid who sells you burgers and fries for dinner, the friend you chat with on the phone or via e-mail — the list might be long, but not impossible to make.

Now think: What is your touch on these lives?

    Now think: What is your touch on these lives? Some people you touch consistently — like those in your family or at work. Others You touch here and there — perhaps casual friends or people you volunteer with in your community. And some you touch just once in a while in a random way. Of course, no one turns to gold or chocolate when your hand, your voice, or your influence touches them. But you can still leave a lasting impression that changes the course of their hours, their days, even their lives.

    When Jesus walked the earth, people everywhere wanted to touch him and be touched by him. Through his touch, the blind could see and the lame could walk. The sick were healed. And people caught in the snare of sin were set free. No wonder the crowds clamored for the touch of the Savior!

    Do people long for your touch — or do you sense that they draw back? Is your touch as valuable as gold to your loved ones, as sweet as chocolate? Or is it as hard as nails? Does your touch bring blessing and healing to the people around you.or pain and heartache?

    As we continue to explore the impact of a woman’s touch, evaluate your own touches each step of the way. Start keeping a mental list of those people you touch on a regular basis, as well as those you touch less frequently. And start thinking about different ways your touch can bring joy, comfort, restoration, and blessing to their lives.

    Now, if you’ll excuse me, there’s a chocolate bar in the cupboard that’s calling my name.

Lord, your touch is more precious than gold and sweeter than chocolate. Thank you for touching my life. Now open my eyes to see all those I touch, and help me to make my touch a blessing in their lives.

[God’s ordinances] are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. (Psalm 19:10)

© From her book, "A Woman's Touch: The Fingerprints Left Behind" © 2001, Howard Publishing Company. Used by permission. This article cannot be reprinted in another publication without written permission of the publisher. Click here to buy this title online!

Title: "The Chocolate Touch"
Author: Amy Nappa
Publication Date: April 11, 2002

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