THE ANIMAL THAT WEEPS
Neal Pollard

Drs. Cardoso and Sabbatini consider emotional tear-shedding to be the simple product of evolution, as “all animals with mobile eyes have nictitating membranes, or inner eyelids, and tears aid in opening, closing, washing, lubricating, and protecting the eye’s delicate, transparent, adaptive lenses” (www.cerebromente.org).  But, they cannot tell us when, how, or why such an evolution occurred.  Science can identify the individual parts of the tear ducts, the orbital and palpebral parts, the superior and inferior lacrimal papilla and puncta, the lacrimal canaliculi, the plica semilunaris, and the rest, but they cannot tell us why these are triggered when humans are sad, afraid, euphoric, or otherwise emotionally touched.  Science can reveal mechanisms and functions, but is at a loss to connect it to the moral, psychological, emotional, and spiritual facets of human beings.

In the Bible, which presupposes and asserts not only God’s existence but also His will, feelings, expectations, and nature, God acknowledges and cares about the emotions that move us to tears as well as to laughter.  The psalmist says God has a bottle, as it were, in which to store our tears (Ps. 56:8).  God Himself, in human flesh, wept (John 11:35; Luke 19:41; Heb. 5:7).  David expresses the vital role tears played in his repentance (Ps. 51), and Paul calls for as much in 2 Corinthians 7:7-11.  The sinful woman washed Jesus’ feet with her tears (Lk. 7:38ff).
Why is it that movies, books, or news stories move us to tears?

When we experience a relationship breakup, are hurt or betrayed, or are righteously indignant, why do we sometimes weep and cry?  How is it that the commemoration of the Lord’s Supper, a convicting, moving sermon, a touching spiritual song or hymn, or particularly heartfelt prayer can drive us to shed tears?  If we can separate ourselves from humanistic, godless explanations, we see what is most logical.  We are not simply “the animal that weeps.”  No, as one made in God’s image, we are uniquely able to feel and respond to such feelings with a depth of emotion unmatched in the rest of creation.  God designed us to experience and express the movements of a feeling heart and soul.  Neither evolution nor mere science can supply another, adequate answer.