Jesus wept. These two words are found in John 11:35. Those words make up the shortest Bible verse found in the King James Version of the Bible and several other versions also. But don’t let the short size fool you. This verse is packed with meaning, wisdom, and knowledge.
The Story Behind The Verse
This verse is part of the Lazarus story. Jesus was told that his dear friend Lazarus was sick and dying. Jesus traveled to Bethany knowing that Lazarus had, in fact, already died. Jesus knew what he was going to do … he would raise Lazarus from the dead and Jesus would do it to glorify God.
Be Strong Enough To Show Empathy And Compassion
Jesus is our model for how to live and how to serve God. When John 11:35 tells us “Jesus wept” we realize that Jesus was a person of empathy. Not only did he feel sorrow because he personally loved Lazarus greatly, but because he saw the grief of Lazarus’ sisters, Martha and Mary.
Can we be any different?
Romans 12:15 -- "Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep."
We should, like Jesus, allow ourselves to have empathy for all. We should celebrate with others and allow ourselves to feel each other’s pain.
Jesus Was A Person Of Action
This story reveals that Jesus was a person of action. Not only did Jesus insist that he should travel to Lazarus, but Jesus also knew the trip would have put him in grave peril. Here’s what Jesus’ disciples said about the trip …
John 11:8 -- "The disciples say unto him, Rabbi, the Jews were but now seeking to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?"
There are numerous examples in the Bible of Jesus acting out of compassion. And Jesus’ example should be a model to us. Scripture commands us to do immediately do good if it is within our ability to do so.
Proverbs 3:27 -- "Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, When it is in the power of thy hand to do it."
Like Jesus, we should hesitate to be a person of action and turn our compassion into deeds.
Two Good Reasons We Should Be A Person Of Action Like Jesus
First, as exemplified in the story of Jesus’ resurrection of Lazarus, we are commanded to love our neighbor. And love is an action word. We need to take action to truly reflect the love and concern that we have for people. Second, when we help people, we are serving God. Every person on planet earth is a creation of God. And when we care for them, we are caring for God’s creations. Remember, Jesus wept. Shouldn’t we be willing to weep, also?
