Do you know what the shortest verse in the Bible is? As a kid, I can remember being proud of knowing that little bit of trivia. The shortest verse in the Bible in English is “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). (In Greek, the shortest verse is actually 1 Thessalonians 5:16 – “Rejoice always.”) Now you’re better prepared for Bible trivia!
But that verse—“Jesus wept”—is so much more than Bible trivia. It teaches an important truth. As he stood at the tomb of his dear friend Lazarus, “Jesus wept.” Death is sad. Even for Jesus! It’s okay to cry in the face of death. Even Jesus wept! I know that death is on a lot of our minds. Sometimes as Christians, we feel the foolish necessity to say, “I can handle it! I’m not going to be sad! No tears for me!” Really? Are you stronger than Jesus? Death is sad. It’s the unnatural ripping of body from soul. It’s the starkest reminder of sin in our world. When his friend died, Jesus wept. You can too. It’s okay to cry.
Just don’t forget what happened next. Remember? Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead! You don’t have to be ashamed of crying in the face of death, but remember that your tears will turn to joy. Just like how on Good Friday the tears flowed as Jesus hung on the cross, but those tears didn’t last. On Easter, Jesus raised himself back to life, just as he had done with Lazarus, just as he does with every believer in Jesus. When you face death, it’s okay to weep. Just remember what comes next: Life. Life with Jesus in heaven. The same Jesus who wept will wipe every one of your tears away.
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