Poor People: Share Grief
Jesus wept.
John 11:35
(Almost every translation uses these exact words)
Grief is a common denominator in the overall human equation. (Unless a child leaves Earth as an infant), every person suffers trouble and loss.
How each of us reacts to misfortune, how each of us share, hide, or ignore grief… defines our life and determines our path.
Poor people SHARE grief. Consider two ways:
'They weep with those who weep' (Romans 12:15), like Jesus did. They go out of their way to bring comfort. More than any gesture of sympathy, more than any statement of condolence, they share the load of grief by “being there.” Indeed, they 'Bear one another's burdens' (Galatians 6:2).
They exhibit grief over their OWN sins. 'He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy' (Proverbs 28:13).* Because exposing our own sins and mistakes HUMBLES us and makes us RELATABLE. Even Jesus shared His weakest moments, as in the Garden of Gethsemane.**
Bottom line:
If someone’s suffering doesn't move us, or we refuse to share our own troubles, our hearts get seriously diseased.
By a constriction of our compassion,
By a decreasing flow of joy and tears,
By a stiffening of the face and neck,
Heart conditions become quite visible.
'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; We mourned to you, and you did not lament' (Matthew 11:17).***
Therein, we must mourn as poor people mourn. To do so turns mourning into dancing.
Poor People: Share Grief (Part 13)
NOTE: God is my Ghostwriter. If what I write is good, it’s from God. You may see notes to 'Actors, Models & Talent for Christ.' If you think you're not in show business, think again. Shakespeare said, 'All the world's a stage and all its men and women merely players.’ Mostly true. But you're not merely players. You are messengers and ambassadors for the King of kings.
* 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness' (1 John 1:9).
* 'For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation' (2 Corinthians 7:10).
** Jesus never sinned, but He did make His torments public.
*** Commentary on Matthew 11:17: 'They did not lament, weep, or shed one tear, but sat unmoved, like stocks and stones...' (Gill's Exposition of the Bible): Matthew 11:17 Commentaries: and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance
Additional thoughts:
Short article: What does “blessed are those who mourn” mean? | GotQuestions.org