Let's see what's in the box 📦 Tears can be telling

Philippians 3:18 - 19

For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. (ESV)

Notice Paul’s compassion: “I . . . now tell you even with tears.”

Paul has tears over those who had become “enemies” of the gospel, and over the “end” they would suffer.

This is very were telling and speaks loudly about Paul’s heart and, I believe, should tell us a little about our own heart.

For tears can be telling (I’m speaking here of real tears, not fake ones).

Tears can tell you what you love, what you regret, what you desire, what you miss.

Tears tell you what you consider glorious or hideous. And, of course, tears tell you what breaks your heart.

A lack of tears is also telling.

Dry eyes can indicate a deficit of love, or regret, or desire.

They can indicate a lack of appreciation for what is glorious and a lack of abhorrence for what is hideous.

So, let’s take a moment and consider our tears, or our lack of tears.

Because they tell us something important about what we consider important.  

In our verse today, Paul’s tears were over people who had made themselves enemies of the gospel and this broke his heart.

The Greek word for “tears” is klaiō…

Some translations, like the King James and New American Standard versions, choose the word “weeping,” which is closer to the meaning. But the “tears” here indicate that grief Paul felt was strong.  

This is a revealing, and its convicting, and gives us a glimpse into the heart of Paul.

He wept over these people who had become enemies of all he stood for.

Though it’s not completely clear, it seems likely that these were the people he referred to earlier in the chapter3 in verses 2 & 3, where it says: “Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.”  

Even so, verse 18 reveals that Paul was deeply grieved over these self-professed Christians who had rejected the very core of the gospel and made themselves “enemies of the cross of Christ”

He shed real tears over the “destruction” they would face if they failed to repent.

And like Paul, we also must have love for unbelievers, by having a heart that is full of love and humility. A heart like this will break when people reject the gospel.

Even when people are actively opposing us personally…

You see, our tears - or our lack of tears are telling…  

Remember Life Happens…  a soft heart does not weaken our spine. We can have great boldness when its needed, but our boldness must be a brokenhearted boldness and one with love and humility.

We will face opposition, but truth that is spoken in boldness can still be kind. We must never allow our personal feelings to get mixed in with God’s truth!

Where Are Our Tears?