We live in a world that sometimes conveys to me “be tough…never let them see you cry!” So we are trained to bottle up all our emotions. It’s possible to see little children on television with tummies that are swollen from malnutrition and not connect with their pain. I remember one night my little cousin of 7 years old was visiting with her mother and father and while we were chatting she was watching a documentary on TV describing hunger in Africa asking for us to donate to help hungry children. Suddenly she interrupted our conversation and my little cousin looked at her mother and said, “Hurry and give to help them”

Her mother and I looked at each other with astonished looks as though God had suddenly given us a wake-up call… “Look at their swollen tummies” she said, “they have a hole in their tummies! That’s why their stomachs are swollen! Mommy give to them fast!” I remember how visibly angry she was and I looked at her mother and said, “Jesus is talking to us!” and for a few minutes we both just bowed our heads in silence. I realize how easy it is to lose the sensitivity and gentleness of children as we get older.

When Lazarus died Jesus went to visit the sisters of Lazarus. When He got there, “Jesus was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept.” (John 11 33-35) While it’s ok for women to cry in society, I often think men are trained to think “real men don’t cry”. Well Jesus cried…so let that be sufficient for men and women to cry. We can show our emotions and we need to strive to retain the sensitivity and gentleness that is so inherent in children. Remember Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3)