John 11:35 Jesus wept.
You know why? Because He was standing at the tomb of his friend Lazarus who had died a few days prior to Jesus' arrival in Bethany. And even though Jesus knew that Lazarus was going to die and even though He knew that He was going to perform a miracle in a few minutes, the significance is that Jesus was human and He was weeping at the tomb of His friend.
He was grieving.
Mary and Martha, Jesus' friends as well, were at their brother's tomb. They were also grieving over the loss of Lazarus and in a show of human solidarity, Jesus wept with them and for them. Perhaps He cried for His friend, perhaps for the loss Lazarus' sisters were experiencing or maybe Jesus wept because that is what humans do when those close to us grieve. It is possible that given His divine nature, Jesus wept over the utter senselessness and hopelessness of sin and it's ugly impact upon the people God created in His very own image. After all, death was not the way it was supposed to be and only came into existence after sin was ushered into the world.
I have seen the tears in other's eyes at grave sites, funeral homes, funerals, hospitals, etc. They are tears of empathy. If you are like me, it is difficult to know what to say when someone goes through the loss of a family member. I have been known to say, "I don't know what to say right now so I just want you to know that I am thinking of you and praying for you." I have also been known to say exactly nothing, hoping and praying that somehow my presence, a hug, my own tears, helps someone know that I care.
Jesus wept. It's the shortest verse in the Bible, but it carries a huge impact because it shows an extremely human characteristic. It shows just how much Jesus cared. It shows empathy, sympathy and an acknowledgement of our human frailty. It shows His care and concern for His friends. Ultimately, His tears showed His love towards them.
In a few days it will be Father's Day and I will experience this day without my Dad for the first time. I'm not looking forward to it and the tears have already come from time to time for the past week as I try to put his death into perspective. One thing I know though: If Jesus wept, then I can too.
Because Jesus understands.
