The Plumbline

" Tears are often the telescope by which men see far into heaven ."  (Henry Ward Beecher) When was the last time you had a good cry?  Some may announce rather proudly, "It hasn't been since I was a small boy", or perhaps "It was a long, long time ago."  Others would speak of the recent weeks, sharing some story of how life dealt them a blow they just found no other recourse to deal with it than to break down and cry a little.  I'd have to say my last "good cry" has been a while, but there have been tears - of joy, stemming from laughter; of gratitude, emerging from that deep place of worship; and of grief, seeing someone I love hurt so deeply because of some pain they are enduring they cannot seem to overcome. It isn't the amount of tears shed as much as the things which evoked those tears to emerge! These are the things we will recount more than the tears. Those who walk the fields to sow, casting their seed in tears, will one day ...

I have some friends who seemingly cry at the drop of a hat.  You just say something, then almost imperceptibly, the tears begin to well up and there you are, them leaking tears and you standing there holding your hat in your hand!  I've never been one of those individuals who "leaks" tears very often, but a good cry does something to cleanse our soul, doesn't it?  The most precious tears are often shed right when I least expect them.  For example, I can be driving down the road, listening to the Christian station, when a song comes on which "hits" me right where I am in life.  The words do more than carry me along - they minister to my heart.  In turn, I might just "leak" a little! Crying is better than laughing.   It blotches the face but it scours the heart.  (Ecclesiastes 7:3 MSG) Truth is, I like to laugh much better than I enjoy crying!  Yet, there are some definite "types" of tears which I think say much more than any amount of ...

One of my family in Canada posted this saying today:  "Tears are how our  heart speaks when our lips cannot describe how much we've been hurt."  I don't usually re-post some of these things, but when they catch my eye, I let them sink in and ponder them a little.  Since I am not one to cry at the drop of a hat, I began to ponder the tears of my "heart" and some of the things I was expressing in those tears.  The emotions ranged from extreme disappointment to sheer agony associated with great loss.  Our tears speak much, don't they? You've kept track of my every toss and turn  through the sleepless nights, e ach tear entered in your ledger,  each ache written in your book.  (Psalm 56:8 The Message) Another translation says God collects our tears in a bottle.  I imagine a huge room lined with shelves, bottles all lined up with little labels bearing each of our names.  From the very first tears cried as we came bawling i...