Tears Tell the Tale - Martin Wiles

Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. Luke 7:38 NLT

When the tears trickled from his blue eyes, we all knew.

Although my grandfather attended the little white Methodist church every time the doors were open, Dad, Mom, and I wondered about his relationship with Christ. Other parts of his lifestyle seemed to say he didn’t have one. So when the strokes started coming—and it didn’t seem he would recuperate—Mom decided to do something about it.

Pappy was a relatively young man when the first stroke hit. I’m sure the years of heavy drinking and smoking had taken their toll. The stroke brought a little paralysis on one side. Then several more followed. By the time it was all over, his entire right side was immobile, and he could not speak. My grandmother had to help him walk. He could mumble words but none we could understand.

When it appeared his end neared, Mom decided to ask him about his relationship with Christ. Tears puddled in his eyes and then streaked down the side of his face. He couldn’t tell us he had asked Jesus to forgive his sins and be his Savior, but the tears evidenced he had.

Luke records an instance of another person whose tears also told a tale. Jesus enjoyed a meal at the home of one of the religious leaders. As they reclined at the table and enjoyed the meal and fellowship, a prostitute ambled in, walked over to Jesus, let her tears fall onto His feet, and wiped them off with her hair as she adorned His feet with perfume.

Simon, the religious leader who had invited Jesus, objected to this “sinner” touching Jesus. Jesus lovingly rebuked the Pharisee for not washing His feet and then told him that the woman’s tears told a tale—one of repentance, confession, and forgiveness.

Some of us cry outwardly and some inwardly. Some don’t mind when others see our tears while others think it “unmanly” or “unwomanly” to let others see us cry. Whether we show them or not, tears are one way we show gratitude for what God has done for us through His Son on Calvary’s cross. Tears also reflect our sorrow over sin or other unwise decisions or actions we’ve taken. Cross words. Unjustified anger. Unforgiveness. Selfish acts.

Cleansing comes when we confess our sins to Christ, and there is nothing wrong with letting our inward cleansing show with outward tears. They reveal the state of our hearts.

Don’t be afraid to let tears show the state of your heart.

Prayer: Father, may our tears show us and others the true state of our heart.

Tell us about your favorite family tale. 

Tweetable: What do your tears tell? 

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