John 11:35-36 – Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how He loved him”.

THEME OF THE DAY: THE WEEPING GODMAN. Start today’s nugget meditating on two things. If the meditative time keeps you from reading the rest of our nugget, that is fine and good. It will change you more than my words. First, observe our Creator shedding tears; weeping. This isn’t a tear or two. No, this is agony. The word “weeping” means to “shed tears with pain, rage.” It is gut-wrenching and comes from the One who knew the sorrow and trauma death brought upon His prize creation – humans. Next, meditate on the response from those who observed the Godman weeping. They immediately associated the outward tears with inward affection – deep love for those mourning all around Him. There are two powerful, perhaps convicting, but certainly needful lessons for us who claim to follow the “Weeping Godman.” Let’s form these lessons in the shape of questions and allow the Spirit of God to confirm the answers to us individually.

First, how burdened are we for hurting humanity all around us that it brings us to tears over their miserable condition? How often are we awake at night, or pull away from our own agendas and schedules to weep for the lost, mourn over hurting brothers and sisters, and cry out in heart-felt intercession for those experiencing deep sorrow and suffering? Jesus wept. Jesus identified with the sorrowing souls around Him. I know some people claim they are not overly emotional, and maybe that is true, but that doesn’t take us off the hook when it comes to feeling for the plight of humanity. I would be as bold to argue that a Christian who is getting close to the heart of Jesus will not be able to hold back tears for the hurting souls around them. A person cannot get close to the heart of Christ and not get the heart of Christ. Impossible.

Next, is our expression of love for hurting people, in the church and outside, visible and tangible? I am not saying “Serve people to be seen of people.” But I am saying acts of love, real love, Christ’s love, will not be hidden. The Apostle John wrote, “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:16-18). Pray for each other we must, like our Lord’s example, but to say to a hurting and needy soul, “I will pray for you” while having the means to meet their need, spiritually or materially, and fail to do so because we don’t want to be inconvenienced or part with personal resources is simply hypocrisy and lacks love. True love gets involved. It cries with people in their need while helping to meet their need. Go back and read the entire account of Jesus at Lazarus’ funeral in John 11. Jesus did far more than weep. He demonstrated the genuineness of His love for the hurting people by getting involved with the hurting people. Does that describe us? Are their hurting people right now in our churches, neighborhoods and circles of influence we are ministering to through tears and help? Do we have a growing reputation of love with feet on it?

Francis Schaeffer once said, “Biblical orthodoxy without compassion is surely the ugliest thing in the world.” So true. A head full of Biblical truth with a heart and will unmoved by that Biblical truth is the number one blemish on Christian testimonies today. To say, “I love you” and not display by action “I love you” leaves the world ignorant of the true Jesus. And what is worse is such a Christian existence is described by James as self-deception, “But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). May the Lord find us more and more like Him – weeping over hurting humanity that leads to getting involved to serve hurting humanity.

PRAYER: “Father, forgive me for the too many days I live for me, my, and mine and lack serving the hurting all around me.”

QUOTE: “Jesus didn’t weep for hurting people apart from them, but with them. And so must His people in a hurting world.”