A Weeping Warrior-King

READ: 1 SAMUEL 20:41-42; ROMANS 12:10, 15-16

Do you ever feel ashamed for crying? Sometimes, it can feel like we need to be tough and strong, not weepy. But that’s not what we see in the Bible.

In 1 Samuel 20:41, for example, we see how the mighty warrior-king David openly wept when he had to move away from his best friend Jonathan. It says, “David got up from the south side of the stone Ezel, fell facedown to the ground, and paid homage three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept with each other, though David wept more.”

And if you keep reading in the books of 1 and 2 Samuel, and in the psalms David wrote, you’ll find other instances when David cried. Yet, you’ll also find stories of David’s bravery in facing countless enemies. He killed lions and bears that came after his sheep, and he faced down the giant Goliath when everyone else was afraid to (1 Samuel 17:1–18:7). David was tough and strong—and weepy.

It was because of his confidence in God that David could have the courage to face his enemies, and the honesty to face his own emotions. He cried openly and without shame—and he’s not the only one. Jesus cried too. Jesus is the ultimate Warrior-King, and He wept when His friend Lazarus died, even though He was about to bring the dead man back to life (John 11:35).

God gave us our emotions. It’s not wrong to cry—it’s how we process the way we feel when we’re hurting. God invites us to use our tears, not only to grieve our own losses, but also to enter into the sadness of others. This is possible because Jesus promises to be with us in our grief, and He also promises to return one day. Then, He will wipe away every tear when He resurrects us from the dead and restores His creation. But in the meantime, we can take comfort knowing that Jesus sits beside us in every sorrow and weeps with us. • A. W. Smith

• Does crying make you uncomfortable? God is not ashamed of your tears. In fact, God created us to have emotions, and crying is a healthy way to express those emotions. God loves us and cares when we’re hurting. Jesus died and rose again for us so He could be with us in our pain, weeping alongside us. The next time you feel like you need to cry, you can picture Jesus weeping with you. How might knowing that He weeps with us affect the way we view our own emotions?

Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Romans 12:15 (CSB)