On a scale from 1 to 10 – 1 meaning you rarely cry and 10 meaning you cry easily – I’d give myself a 5. If you exclude the extra-hormonal part of the month and take tear-jerker movies out of the rating, I could go as low as a 4. For many years I fought tears. In part, I disliked crying because I didn’t want to acknowledge or deal with hurt and pain – not for myself, not for anyone.
Yet, people are hurting, and for that reason I think it’s time to cry.
I think it’s time to weep over the people who don’t know Jesus. It’s time to weep with people who struggle and hurt. It’s time to cry because the world is broken and in desperate need of what only Jesus can give.
As we weep, may our hearts grow more tender, may we soften and care more deeply. May we resolve to step up and do something because in our tears we’ve bowed low in humility over our own neediness and found compassion for the struggles and pain of others.
One day Jesus will come back, and this time every knee will bow. Some will bow in heaven, some will bow on earth, but others will bow from a place below the earth – for that too we should weep. God said it didn’t have to be that way:
“The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” 2 Peter 3:9
I think it’s time to cry over the things we can do something about, including our sin and our apathy:
“If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
This past week the following words brought a heavy flow of tears from my eyes:
“She was just hurting in lots of ways. And I just listened.” The kid shrugs. “Just shared Jesus. How Jesus meets us in the hurt and He heals.”
These words were written by Ann Voskamp, a popular blogger, author and speaker. I’ve read two of her books and been changed by both of them. The blog post in which she recorded those words completely did me in. They were spoken by one of her sons. The link is below and I encourage you to read it.
This young man listened. He cared. He loved. He shared.
His heart made me cry.
Are you willing to cry? If you are, you’d be following the example of Jesus.
On the very day Jesus entered Jerusalem to the cheers and praises of the people, a day we call Palm Sunday, He wept over the city: “As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it and said, ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace’” (Luke 19:41).
Jesus wept. Will we?
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