Friday, May 27, 2011

Tears in Heaven

On Sunday morning, I had to go on stage to present a gift to one of our youth who is graduating.  I had gotten teary-eyed, so when I came back to sit with Bella and Elias, Bella said, "Why are you sad?".  I said that I wasn't sad and that they were happy tears.  She looked quizzically at me.

Have you ever noticed that small children don't cry happy tears? Or at least, I have never witnessed it.

As I was driving yesterday, I thought about the verse in the Bible that says that there will be no tears in Heaven.  I have thought that when it said that there would be no tears in Heaven, maybe it just meant the tears that were from sadness and sorrow.  When I think about being reunited with my loved ones and meeting Jesus for the first time face-to-face, I can't imagine not crying from it.

But then I thought again about what causes me to cry happy tears.  It is normally because I know that the moment won't last forever and that I have no control over what the future holds for me or for those I love.  No matter how great a moment is or what relationship I have with someone, eventually it will change or end.  Even memories will fade and be replaced.

When I get to Heaven, I no longer will have to feel the bitter sweetness of moments that can't last or the unknowns and vulnerability of loving someone so much.  So I don't think that happy tears will be necessary in Heaven.  I will not have to worry about the unknowns about loving so much it hurts.

No comments: