Innocence and Tears

One of life’s great tragedies is the loss of innocence. Children and young adults because of war, violence, and evil become exposed to and victimized and the playfulness and wonder of innocence is stolen. Often this loss of innocence occurs in societies as our culture sells sex and violence in the mainstream of media. The sanctuary of home and safe communities are trumped by modern day hedonism. Sex, drugs, violence, fame and money become the gods of life.

And while we cannot un-ring the bell of lost innocence; we can dry tears and create environments that love and nurture the lost and broken. We can also stop the cycles of violence and abuse that many suffer. As a collective society we can petition government and institutions to control and protect the young and vulnerable from predators. We can limit and regulate the vile or vulgar advertisement and online content that seek to rob our children of their innocence.

Human trafficking and civil war, as well as abject poverty, often make the widow and the orphan human pawns in the daily brokering of evil.

The demonic realm seeks to steal our innocence and our very souls. We can’t overcome evil with evil, but we must overcome evil with good. We can reclaim broken lives one person at a time and by one gesture of love at a time. We can support an orphan with a monthly gift. We can volunteer for our local protective shelters. We can confront the bully and those that allow others to bully. We can take on a foster child or take an interest in a person who seems lost.

Tears and loss of innocence in our world seem limitless and unstoppable. We must pray, work and love each day to dry tears and restore the broken. But we must accept that there are tears and lost innocence that only God himself and dry and repair. God will dry every tear and repair every broken life.

I am sharing with you today one of the devotional pages from my book, Leading From Our Knees as the closing message of the Thought for the Day.

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Tears That Only God Can Dry

“SORROW AND PAIN SHALL BE NO MORE AS ALL THINGS ARE MADE NEW”

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more

death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former

things are passed away. And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all

things new.…”

FEATURED SCRIPTURE: REVELATION 21:4–5

BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: REVELATION 21:1–8; 1 CORINTHIANS 2:9–10

Some leaders of faith serve in the bowels of human suffering and misery. This service takes

place on the battlefields, in the war zones, in abject poverty, and in the midst of emergency

relief services. Some leaders deal daily with lives that are broken physically, mentally, and

spiritually. Leaders of faith are often called to deal with human tragedy, whether it is caused by

man or by nature.

In times of great crises, leaders of faith see the tears, death, pain, and sorrow that cannot be

comforted by man. Despite this, we should not falter in doing good. Jesus will bring life and

healing even in the depravity of humanity, as long as we let our light of love and service shine in

us and through us. Regardless of how unspeakable the sin of man’s inhumanity to man can be,

or how destructive the occurrences of nature can seem, leaders can take solace that Jesus will

make all things new. Sometimes we don’t have the capacity to dry the human tears ourselves;

these are the tears that only God can dry.

In these dire circumstances, we as leaders often attest to seeing the Holy Spirit through acts

of decency and dignity even in the midst of untold human suffering. Our true hope is eternal. As

leaders, we are called to serve God wherever His call takes us. It is our efforts in times of tribulation

that can magnify Christ the greatest. And we must always remember: “Eye hath not seen, nor

ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them

that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

God can do more than dry the wettest tear or soothe the most horrific pain. No man has ever

or will ever imagine in their hearts what good things He has prepared in eternity for those who

love Him. Leaders of faith are often the final repositories of hope in dire human circumstances.

But rest assured that the hope you offer those whom you lead and serve in times of sorrow for

Christ’s sake is not lost.

While we cannot dry every tear, we know that those who trust in the resurrected and glorified

Christ will have all their pain, sorrow, and loss removed from them. And God shall wipe

away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying,

neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Serve on in new

confidence and faith.

Our Prayer: Lord God, we know moments will come for some leaders of faith that will hold

hurt, pain, sorrow, and unspeakable loss. Help us to always know that the pains and tears of this life

will be wiped away forever for those who love You. Give us the courage to lead others in these

situations by clinging to Your promises. Amen.