Before we bid good-bye to those present at the cross, I have one more introduction to make. This introduction is very special.
There was one group in attendance that day [of the crucifixion] whose role was critical. They didn't speak much, but they were there. Few noticed them, but that's not surprising. Their very nature is so silent they are often overlooked. In fact, the gospel writers scarcely game them a reference. But we know they were there. They had to be. They had a job to do.
Yes, this representation did much more than witness hte divine drama; they expressed it. They captured it. They displayed the despair of Peter; they betrayed the guilt of Pilate and unveiled the anguish of Judas. They transmitted John's confusion and translated Mary's compassion.
Their prime role, however, was with that of the Messiah. With utter delicacy and tenderness, they offered relief to his pain and expression to his yearning.
Who am I describing? You may be surprised.
Tears.
Those tiny drops of humanity. Those round, wet balls of fluid that tumble from our eyes, creep down our cheeks and splash on the floor of our hearts. They were there thay day. They are always present at such times. They should be, that's their job. They are miniature messengers; on call twenty-four hours a day to substitute for crippled words. They drip, drop and pour from the corners of our souls, carrying with them the deepest emotions we possess. They tumble down our faces with announcements that range from the most blissful joy to darkest despair.
The principle is simple; when words are most empty, tears are most apt.
A tearstain on a letter says much more than the sum of all its words. A tear falling on a casket says what a spoken farewell never could. What summons a mother's compassion and concern more quickly than a tear on a child's cheek? What gives more support than a sympathetic tear on the face of a friend?
Words failed the day the Saviour was slain. They failed miserably. What words could have been uttered? What phrases could have possibly expressed the feelings of those involved?
That task, my friend, was left for the tears.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book.
~ Psalm 56:8 [NLT] ~
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