“Jesus wept.” (Gospel of John 11:35)

Two words. No explanation. No correction. No immediate miracle. At the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus pauses long enough to enter the grief of those He loves. Before resurrection is commanded, sorrow is honored. This moment reveals something essential about ministry: compassion is not a delay of God’s work—it is often the way God chooses to begin it.

In a culture that prizes answers, certainty, and speed, spiritual leaders are often tempted to move past grief too quickly. We explain. We resolve. We offer hope before pain has been named. Yet the Gospel shows us a Savior who does not rush. He listens. He weeps. He stands in solidarity with human loss even when He knows the outcome.

Ministry credibility is formed not only by truth spoken, but by presence offered. Empathy—patient, attentive, unhurried—creates the space in which hope can later be heard.

There is an old pastoral story about a congregation hearing two prospective preachers on consecutive Sundays. Unbeknownst to one another, both preached the same borrowed sermon on judgment. One delivered it with polish and precision. The other spoke less eloquently. When the congregation chose the second, the explanation was simple: “He preached it with a tear in his eye.”

Hymn (Public Domain)

Man of sorrows, what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

(Lyrics by Philip P. Bliss)

Read the full devotional and listen to the podcast on Substack:
👉 https://tomsims.substack.com/p/ministering-with-a-tear-in-our-eye