Real Tears

“My eyes flow with streams of tears because of the destruction of my dear people.” Lamentations 3:48 csb 

On social media, I've come across heartwarming homecoming videos featuring soldiers returning from overseas duty. These brave individuals, separated from their families for a year or more, finally embrace their loved ones in tearful reunions. Witnessing these moments fills me with emotion; even as strangers, their joy and connection are moving. As a Navy Brat myself, I intimately understand the mix of emotions in those reunions. 

Jeremiah the Prophet, however, experienced a different kind of tears. He wept over his people, earning him the poignant nickname "the weeping prophet." His tears didn't flow from witnessing families come together; rather, they stemmed from the sorrow of witnessing families torn apart, separated, and even slaughtered by Babylon. For forty years, Jeremiah tirelessly warned his people about their sinful ways, foretelling the judgment that would befall them. Despite their rejection of his message, Jeremiah, like the Lord he served, never stopped loving them. He exemplified the heart of a pastor, mirroring the compassion of the Lord. When tragedy befell even the most sinful, he didn't rejoice; he wept.

The Lord instructs us to empathize with those who are suffering. Just as God takes no pleasure in the demise of the wicked, neither should we. The thought of our loved ones, acquaintances, or even strangers rejecting Jesus as their Savior should break our hearts. Through the lens of Christ's love, we should be moved to tears by the knowledge that they are lost. Does your heart ache for what grieves the heart of the Lord? Jeremiah's did. If you find your heart growing cold towards others, seek the Lord's help to soften it and to see people as He sees them, lost and needing salvation. 

Agape, Frank