40 DAY GOSPEL CHALLENGE | SHORTEST VERSE IN THE BIBLE

Shortest Verse in the Bible
 
I remember growing up in a church youth group, a question that was often thrown around was “Do you know the shortest verse in the Bible?!”
 
I’m not sure if we were playing Bible trivia or if we genuinely thought there was some kind of spiritual clout that came with knowing this random fact (ha!), but nevertheless—it was a common question in my youth group.
 
We’d proudly respond “Jesus wept!”  and carry on with whatever youth group thing we were doing.  Good story—I know.
 
Although I knew these two words, it wasn’t until adulthood that I valued them.
 
Not surprisingly to any of you that know me, I cry pretty easily.  Growing up, I saw this as my greatest weakness.  It was embarrassing, humiliating, the list goes on…
 
But through a process of life events and learning to follow the example of Jesus Himself in John 11:35, I now see that crying is not something to be ashamed of.  We should not be led by our emotions, but we should allow emotions to pass through…especially when it is “rejoicing with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.” (Romans 12:15)
 
Jesus allowed His heart to be deeply moved to tears as He processed grief from a friend who had died – EVEN knowing that He was going to raise him from the dead!
 
We DO have the hope of Heaven….we DO see God’s hand at work in amazing ways in this broken world…..and yet none of that negates that it’s more than okay to let the tears flow sometimes….woman or man, young or old.  
 
Let’s allow our hearts to be moved with compassion for the people around you.  This compassion moves us to needed action, to truly represent the Light in this dark world.

Maria LeCrone | WOMEN'S PASTOR