Emotionally Connected
Real Men Do Cry…
'When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” ' John 11:33-36
as children, crying comes naturally - you fall down riding a bike, trip and get a strawberry on your knee, get yelled at by an adult, someone makes fun of you, and the list goes on. i was no different and perhaps some may have said i was a crybaby.
not realizing how that affected, my young adult years i would say i didn’t cry much, and the feeling that come along with sadness never really hit me nor triggered the emotions that allows one to let go and have the waterfall of tears come out and down.
now as a more mature adult, dealing with the past, and embracing the ‘real men do cry’ and it is actually very healthy to do so. it’s very freeing and allows you to go deeper in your relationships, especially where hurt, pain, sorrow is involved - even in happy moments.
how refreshing it is to know that our Lord and King, Jesus, recognized a sad situation (loss of lazarus - whom he loved), could feel what mary and the others were going through, and cried alongside them. it shows how connected He was to everyone everywhere. as The Good Shepherd, He genuinely cared for His sheep, us.
i’m better now at recognizing when people are down and out, hurt, and need a friend, not just words to pacify, to make them ‘get over it’, or to brush off. if not all, the majority simply need you and i to be there, not even to say much or anything, simply to be a friend, to love on them as Christ exemplified through shedding of tears and being around them.
Father God, we thank you for our Savior Jesus, who felt every emotion as we do, and is able to relate to us. that you are there for us - in psalm 145:18, you tell us The Lord is close to all who call on Him, yes, to all who call on Him in truth.. as we cover the beatitudes, matthew 5:4 - God, you bless those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
thank you Jesus that you are always available, always near us in good and bad times. may i/we always run to you. in your precious and holy name i pray, amen!