The Tears of God

READ: JOHN 11:32-36; ROMANS 12:15; HEBREWS 4:14-16

There are a lot of lies in our world, and one of them is that real men don’t cry. But what about Jesus? God became human, and it was well-documented that Jesus cried, including when His friend Lazarus died. In John 11:35, Jesus was crying with grief at His friend’s death.

We live in a world where terrible things like death are the norm. This is because humanity’s sin resulted in God’s good creation being broken. So where is God in all this brokenness and sorrow? He’s right here. Jesus is God with us—and He weeps with us.

As Christians, we don’t need to be ashamed to show we have feelings. It shows we care about the people and world God made. Jesus knows the fullness of human experience and emotions, and He is the picture of what it means to be a human without sin (Hebrews 4:14-16).

Have you ever thought you needed to act tough or prove that you’re strong? Have you ever felt like you should hide your feelings when something hurts you or causes you sorrow? Jesus didn’t do that. He wept and shared the grief of Mary and Martha when their brother—His friend—died. When you share in the sorrow others are experiencing, you’re showing them His love.

Jesus is both loving and strong. These are not mutually exclusive. He died on the cross and rose from the grave three days later—beating sin and death to save us. That’s real strength and love. If you’re looking for what it means to be a man— or a human in general—look no further than Jesus. He is the Creator who became human, the King who became a servant, the Savior who wept. • A. W. Smith

• What emotions seem to be unwelcome in your culture? Based on the truths about Jesus from today’s Bible passages, how might Jesus be inviting you to approach these emotions differently?

• In John 11, Jesus wept at Lazarus’s death, and then He raised Lazarus from the grave. In the same way, Jesus shares our sorrows with us now, and when He returns to restore His creation, He will raise His people from the grave to live with Him forever—and there will be no more need for tears. If you want to know more about this good news, see our “Know Jesus” page.

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Romans 12:15 (NIV)