Unapologetic Tears 真情无需掩饰
Dexu Xia
As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Luke 7:38
“I’m sorry,” Karen said, apologizing for her flowing tears. After the death of her husband, she stretched herself to care for her teenage kids. When men from church provided a weekend camping excursion to entertain them and give her a break, Karen wept with gratitude, apologizing over and over for her tears.
Why do so many of us apologize for our tears? Simon, a Pharisee, invited Jesus to dinner. In the middle of the meal, as Jesus reclined at the table, a woman who had lived a sinful life brought an alabaster jar of perfume. “As she stood behind [Jesus] at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them” (Luke 7:38). Unapologetically, this woman freely expressed her love and then unwound her hair to dry Jesus’ feet. Overflowing with gratitude and love for Jesus, she topped off her tears with perfumed kisses—actions that contrasted with those of the proper but cold-hearted host.
Jesus’ response? He praised her exuberant expression of love and proclaimed her “forgiven” (vv. 44–48).
We may be tempted to squelch tears of gratitude when they threaten to overflow. But God made us emotional beings, and we can use our feelings to honor Him. Like the woman in Luke’s gospel, let’s unapologetically express our love for our good God who provides for our needs and freely receives our thankful response.
How can you freely express your gratitude to God through your emotions today? How might you make others feel comfortable about sharing their tears?
Loving God, thank You for Your grace in providing for my needs! I pour out my gratitude to You today.
她]站在耶稣背后，挨着祂的脚哭，眼泪湿了耶稣的脚。—路加福音7章38节
巧娜为自己潸然泪下而感到抱歉，不断地说：“对不起！”自从丈夫离世，她就独力照顾几个十多岁的孩子。当教会的弟兄为她的孩子们安排了一个周末露营，让她可以稍作休息时，巧娜感激涕零，并因自己的流泪而深感抱歉。
为何许多人会因流泪而感到抱歉呢？一个法利赛人西门在家里宴请耶稣。在宴会中，耶稣斜靠在餐桌旁，有个曾活在罪中的女人拿了盛香膏的玉瓶，“站在耶稣背后，挨着祂的脚哭，眼泪湿了耶稣的脚，就用自己的头发擦干，又用嘴连连亲祂的脚，把香膏抹上”（路加福音7章38节）。这女人不是感到抱歉，而是坦然表达她的爱，放下头发擦干耶稣的脚。她以亲吻和泪水，毫不掩饰地表达对耶稣的爱和感激。她的举动与宴会主人那得体却冷漠的表现，形成鲜明的对比。
耶稣的回应是什么呢？祂赞扬这个女人真诚坦率地表达了她的爱，并宣告她已得“赦免”（44-48节）。
有时，当感激之泪想夺眶而出时，我们可能会想加以压抑。但上帝赋予我们丰富的情感，而我们能以自然情感来尊荣祂。让我们像路加福音中的这女人一样，毫不掩饰地表达对这位美善上帝的爱，祂供应我们所需并欣然接受我们对祂的感恩。
今日你如何毫不掩饰地向上帝表达感谢？
你如何让别人在你面前流泪时，
不会感到不自在？
慈爱的上帝，感谢祢的恩典，供应我一切所需！
今日我要向祢倾诉对祢的感恩。