Thought for Today
Genesis 29:11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept aloud.
Psalm 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon-- there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion.
Mark 14:72 At that moment the cock crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, "Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times." And he broke down and wept.
Revelation 21:4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away."
Is crying a sign of weakness? I remember being told as a young boy, “Big boys don’t cry!” Scripture suggests otherwise. Jacob, the Hebrews exiled in Babylon, and Peter were not young children, they were not weak. They all wept.
There are times and situations when crying is the only response we can muster. Sometimes we cry in utter frustration, sometimes in abject sorrow. Extreme pain and suffering can generate tears. Of course, there are also climatic events that can provoke tears, sandstorms, bitterly cold winds; and, especially this time of year, various pollens, molds and other floral phenomena can bring on tears.
“Crying is the dropping of tears (or welling of tears in the eyes) in response to an emotional state or physical pain. Emotions that can lead to crying include sadness, anger, joy, and fear. Crying can also be caused by relief from a period of stress or anxiety, or as an empathetic response. The act of crying has been defined as ‘a complex secretomotor phenomenon characterized by the shedding of tears from the lacrimal apparatus, without any irritation of the ocular structures’, instead, giving a relief which protects from conjunctivitis.” (en.wikipedia.org)
The next time I’m frustrated to tears, I plan to blame it on a determined effort to protect myself from ‘pinkeye.’ That sounds much more manly and macho than admitting that I have emotions. Instead of blaming the pollen, or admitting I am crying, I plan to claim it is merely a complex secretomotor phenomenon.
I’m not wondering this morning about why our society encourages men to avoid admitting to having emotions. I’m not even particularly focused on crying itself. This morning, I am thinking about that verse from Revelation. It is part of the New Testament passage we will look at this coming Sunday.
I am particularly thinking about “for the first things have passed away." The world all around us is a mess. A study of history suggests to me that the world has always been a mess. If we choose to look at “the dark side,” we can compile an almost endless list of problems, issues and human frailties that seem insurmountable. Jesus promised “Matthew 24:6 you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place . . .” and we have, we do and we will continue to. But, Jesus continued, “but the end is not yet.”
We don’t even have to turn on the news or read a newspaper to know that death, mourning, crying and pain continue. Tears and crying still persist and will continue to do so for any foreseeable future. Violence, pain and suffering seem endemic to human life and human societies and civilizations. When we think about it, the only response is to cry.
Yet, each week, countless Christians pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” I believe we all do so earnestly and seriously. I also believe that God’s promise is sincere, trustworthy and will eventually come true. We will get there. The truth of Easter morning and the Empty Tomb is that “the first things have passed away." God “will wipe every tear from (our) eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more.” I will be able to dispense with my explanation that it is only “a complex secretomotor phenomenon,” because God will have wiped away both the tears and all that may have generated them.
Stay safe, look to the fulfillment of God’s promise, trust God,
Pastor Ray