Get Real November 23 Devotional
November 23, 2024
ROMANS 12:15 | 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
Jesus’ tears before the city of Jerusalem eliminate the picture of God as being “apatheia” as many Greek philosophers believed, the unmoved mover of creation, unsullied by the imperfection of changing emotions. Jesus’ tears also take away from us the Stoic option: if we are to imitate Him, we cannot simply steel ourselves to face the world’s troubles and our neighbor’s pain with heroic calm, accepting of their inevitability.
Think of the supreme commitment of Jesus to other’s welfare. The moment when He weeps over Jerusalem follows His triumphal entry, what most observers would see as the highlight of His ministry and zenith of His popularity. Yet He is focused on the future pain of the very people who will soon mistreat and reject Him.
How good are you at empathy and emotional identification?
