DO YOU DAP?

The other day two of my grandsons were bumping knuckles, elbows, thumbs, and fists. Somehow, they knew exactly what the other one was going to do in a split second. I asked them what they were doing, and they said, “Having fun.”

During the NBA playoffs, I noticed that the players were doing the same thing before the start of the games. It was amazing to see these talented multi-millionaire athletes move through their handy routines. It was as if someone had choreographed their every move. Then, while watching an Astros baseball game, the team did the same thing when a fellow player hit a home run and returned to the dugout.

Curiosity got the best of me so I have spent valuable time trying to find out what these people are doing. Apparently it is called a “Dap Greeting.” I have heard of Dap caulk, a Dap hose, and a DAP dog collar, but I had never heard of a Dap Greeting. So, I watched a “Giving Dap for Dummies” Youtube video, and now I am an enlightened man.

A Dap Greeting is a greeting between friends, and is similar to a handshake that’s gone viral. In one version, the hand is held in a fist. Then the other person taps the bottom of their fist against the top of the other persons fist. Then the fists switch places and are tapped again. Then (in the shorter version), they are tapped front-to-front, back-to-back, thumb-to-thumb, and then everyone hugs. Get it?

This would be a great thing to do during the greeting in a church service. When the pastor says shake hands with 10 people, we could actually give them a Dap Greeting. This would take a bit longer but by the time you finish everyone would be pretty tired and ready to sit through the sermon.

The Apostle Paul knew the importance of bringing greetings to others. Greetings and salutations held a key spot in his letters. Titus 3:15 - “Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the Faith. Grace be with you all.” Paul was saying that we should pass the grateful greetings on to others. In fact, Paul gave an interesting admonition in several Scriptures including Romans 16:16 – “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” That could be more complicated and dangerous than Dapping.