Scripture: Luke 7:13
When he saw her, the Lord had compassion for her and said, “Don’t cry.”
Thought for the Day: I think Jesus gets a pass on this one, but I am always cautious about telling someone, “Don’t cry.” Crying can often be one of the healthiest and cathartic actions we can do. Jesus could say to her, “don’t cry,” because he knew that change was on the horizon. Most of us cannot speak with such confidence. Oh sure, we might believe that God and God’s grace are going to win in the end, but when, where and how are not quite so certain. I always want to be a source of hope for someone in grief and crisis, yet too often people present something that is naively happy and dismisses the real pain. Maybe our emphasis needs to be on the other key word in the passage — compassion. And maybe compassion can be demonstrated without actually speaking a single word to the person who is hurting.
Prayer: Give me words to say, O Lord, when words might be helpful. And give me the skill to remain silent the other 98% of the time when quiet presence could be the best gift. Amen.
THE DAY
HAS ARRIVED
Today
After The 11:00am Service
Bring Your Dollars To Vote
For The Best Chili
