An unexpected enlightenment...
A couple weeks ago I was home sick with the flu doing my devotion with my Bible app when providence brought before me the most easily quoted verse in all the the Bible, that being John 11:35 JESUS wept. At the time I began to remember an Ice Cube movie I had seen where his character's Grandmother makes him quote a Bible verse to her at every meeting (This being the only one his character knew and therefore always quoted), I also began to consider JESUS' humanity as I raced down rabbit trail avenues concerning whether or not this Son of Man ever experienced sickness as I was in the moment. As I began to make decorations for this devotion inspired pity party I was throwing for myself, I came to a sudden epiphany, JESUS...Wept. HE knew the circumstances of Lazarus' ailment, HE knew the outcome of this ailment (Lazarus' death) and also the glorifying miracle HE would perform to raise Laz from the dead and yet HE still wept. Now I know I am not the first CHRIST follower to put that together but this was the first time I think I fully understood what this meant. JESUS was not just a GOD taking on humanity for the sins of the world HE was also a GOD allowing himself to be vulnerable in relationship for the sake of connecting with and loving on his friends and family. In this moment even though he had a sovereign plan and solution in mind HE was still moved to tears by the emotion of those closest to HIM feeling deep pain and despair. Besides this account being a great example to show unbelievers of JESUS' hypo-static union it is also a great example for believers of how to minister to those who are experiencing the anguish and tragedy so common in this life. But first we must be willing to suffer too.
A self examination...
I am a self appointed idea man or Mr. Fix-it, I love to offer a practical solution to simple problems brought to me by others. I love it because it plays to what I consider my strengths, so without hesitation I will boldly offer my ideas and outside opinions to help to effectively and efficiently eliminate the issue. I am also a self admitted coward when it comes to situations that are complex, deeply painful and accompanied by tears. In these situations I usually am terrified of saying the wrong thing or even worse joining in on the tears which I have convinced myself (wrongly, I might add) is a completely selfish act. I clam up and usually leave the hurting person feeling awkward because of my refusal to fully engage due to my own insecurity. Or I do the absolutely worst thing anyone can do in this situation by trying to "solve" the persons hurt with pragmatic truths and quick fix suggestions. I selfishly try to rob this person of their need to express pain and be comforted by having someone hurt with them. Why do I do this? Because pain hurts and the pain of others tends to awaken the devastation of unresolved tragedies in the depths of my own heart. I've already been injured by those and subsequently built safety nets within my heart that keep me from getting too deep and reliving the damage they cause. So for what reason would I let those nets down and unleash that destructive pain upon myself all over again? The reason is because though these hurts are poison to me they're medicine to those who need my empathy, engagement and compassion to get through their own personal tragedy. As with most things, Its. not. about. me!!!
A call to CHRIST-like vulnerability ...
Now I know from observation that I am not the only one in the Church who reacts to the pain of others in this way. And I am requesting that all of us guarded folk do the one thing we are most afraid of... mainly, let down our nets, cut our safety chords and go be a light by lovingly joining our neighbors in the depths of their pain. We should emulate our Savior in the tragedy of others and weep along side the hurting and the lost. Do we have a hope that is everlasting? Yes. Is CHRIST coming back? Of course. Will there be a day when we will no longer shed tears of sorrow? Absolutely. But that should not prevent us in the present from loving others in empathy, neither should it propel us into offering rain puddle shallow solutions to ocean deep devastation. JESUS didn't do that with us. So why would we do that to others? He did't just merely come down and resolve our problem in a vacuum, he allowed our problems to surround and affect His life and emotions. The Creator of all came to live, laugh and cry with his creation. HE stayed here with us 33 years and opened himself up to pain and anguish just so HE could heal us with the medicine of His torture and death and build a relationship upon the foundation of HIS tears. So how can we Christians do anything less than this for those around us in need of healing, understanding, and self sacrificing love? Will we continue to allow the hurting to suffer alone in front of us out of a means of self preservation? CHRIST said there was no greater love than one who would lay down his life for his friends, I say the same can be said for our internal defense mechanisms and safety nets.
by Chris Murray
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