Jesus had a very tender heart, and wept when Lazarus died, but more than that, He wept at the sins of the world, and gave His life for us.  At times, I wonder if we really grasp the magnitude of what He did for us.  He was betrayed, denied, envied, His face covered in spit from His accusers, mocked, false witnesses, made to go thirsty, exhausted from His treatment, ridiculed, stripped of His clothing, slandered, beaten, even bargained for when the Jews called for Barabbas, the thief and murderer, to be released in the place of our Lord.  How humiliating for our Lord to be crucified in the place of a murderer and thief, scourged at the behest of Pilate, and made to carry His own cross.  Have I missed anything?  I probably have…..  and even on the cross He had an outpouring love for others.  When speaking to the penitent thief He said:

“Assuredly I say unto you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”   Luke 23:43

He remembered His mother while on the cross:  “When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple standing by, whom He loved, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son!  Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother!  And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.”    John 19:26-27

“Jesus wept.”   John 11:35

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:  and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.  Surely He hath born our sorrows:  yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities:  the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.  He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth:  He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.  He was taken from prison and from judgment:  and who shall declare His generation?  For He was cut off out of the land of the living:  for the transgression of my people was He stricken.  And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth.”       Isaiah 53:3-9

I have seen some which seem never to be bothered by much in life, not even shed tears.  I have often wondered how people are able to do that, but have come to the conclusion it is a part of their personality.  I cry easily, and always have, not just at anything, or at the drop of a hat, but at serious matters which happen not only in my life, but in others as well.  Even if I am angry I cry.  Very odd, but is part of my personality, and that has not changed, though I get angry with myself when I cry on that particular side of the equation.

“Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.”       Romans 12:15

I will tell you a funny story.  It sounds pitiful, but is hilarious when you look at it.  Not long ago, I went to my friend’s house to check on him, which is my normal habit.  When I drove up his drive, I noticed something by the side of his truck.  Upon investigation, I found it was a rooster which had been in a fight with another rooster, and was injured badly.  I felt sorry for that rooster, and stooped down to console him.  My friend came outside to see what happened, and he just laughed, and I did also, after seeing how this appeared to him. He still kids me about that rooster, and my trying to console him.  I did run off the other rooster which was being mean to him.

When others are in sorrow, do we console them?  It doesn’t mean you have to fill the air with words, but being there when they have lost a loved one, and allowing them to talk as the need arises.  It is a part of the healing process when a death occurs in a family, a member of the church or close friends.  Tears are the expression and outlet for emotion.  God gave us tear ducts for a reason.

…and when joyful events happen in the lives of others.   Do we rejoice with them, or do we become envious or jealous of their good fortune?  I have known of situations when people became envious and jealous, to the point they no longer have anything to do with the person who is rejoicing.  As Christians we are to rejoice with them, and when they weep, we should weep with them.

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”  Ephesians 4:32″

“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation;  continuing instant in prayer; . . . . ”   Romans 12:12

“As you read my stories of long ago, I hope you will remember that things truly worthwhile and that will give you happiness are the same now as they were then.  It is not the things you have that make you happy.  It is love and kindness and helping each other and just plain being good.”     ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder

Eileen Light