When was the last time you cried? Was it a significant occasion in your life or a silly moment that caught you out? Perhaps you’ve cried for no reason; something just set you off unexpectedly. Tears can be like that.
We can think about crying positively; we can see tears as a sign of understanding ourselves. We may feel differently and see tears as a sign of weakness.
In my role, I meet people who are crying for all kinds of reasons. I’ve often shared how Jesus journeyed around; He also met people who were crying. He meets a widow crying because she has lost her only son. He meets a father crying for his daughter, who had died after suffering from illness. It seems that people were very comfortable coming to Jesus in tears.
I find it so helpful to know that Jesus was not only approachable, especially for those who needed His help, but He also experienced the same emotions we do each day.
The shortest verse in the Bible records His tears; in John 11:35, we are told ‘Jesus wept’. Jesus was crying because He felt the pain of losing a friend. However you think about Jesus, the Bible is keen for us to know that Jesus understands how we feel.
The Bible goes even further, saying that even today, God is with people who are in tears.
Psalm 34 says: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit”. Rather than God being removed and remote, unknowable and uncaring, Jesus shows He understands why people cry.
Whatever it is that has brought us to tears, Jesus is right here with us.
Chris Jones is the Vicar of Saint Laurence, Reading, writing on behalf of Churches Together in Reading
