Like you, I have many priceless treasures that have little monetary value. There is that piece of lace trim that I bought in Nazareth many years ago. Someday, I will do something with it. There is the hand-tracing of those precious hands of my young daughter, made by a Bible class teacher who is now with the Lord. I need to frame that before it crumbles. Those hands now care for her own children.

There are the Little League buttons, the Science Fair ribbons, the drawings, the pottery jars made by little-boy hands, the plaster-of-paris happy face – and the pictures. Then there is the Old English rose that grows at the north-east corner of the house, that blooms only briefly. But it was a cutting from my husband’s grandmother’s garden in Kentucky. And there is that first love letter. Such things are dear only to the one remembering.

There was an ancient “keepsake” custom in Rome, and in the East, of collecting tears and preserving them in slender bottles with funnel-shaped necks (W. M. Thompson, The Land and The Book, 1868, p. 103; Albert Barnes, The Book of Psalms, Notes on the Old Testament, pp. 128-129). On one occasion, David pled, “Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up ... You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book” (Ps. 56:8). Likely, the background for David’s request occurred during Saul’s relentless pursuit of him, or perhaps during the psalmist’s Philistine imprisonment in Gath (see the superscription at the beginning of Psalm 56). Throughout this chapter David expresses his fear of men, yet his trust in God’s abiding care is obvious.

As women, generally we are more prone to tears than men – at least in Western culture. Yet, in today’s world, even “macho” men have learned that tears are okay. On a number of occasions our Lord wept – both quietly and audibly (Jn. 11:34; 19:41; Heb. 5:7).

Tears shed in crying are unique to human beings. The chemical composition of cried tears is different from those that constantly cleanse the eyes. Specialists suggest that it is physically healthy to allow yourself to have “a good cry” (ABC’s of the Human Body, Reader’s Digest Assoc., 1987, p. 192). On balance, though, we need to remember that laughter is good for us as well (Prov. 17:22). When one laughs, electrical impulses are stimulated in the brain that cause natural tranquilizers and painkillers to be released in the body (Ibid., p. 20). Seeking a good laugh might be better for the melancholy person than having too many “good cries.”

Various emotions cause us to cry. Of course, grief over the loss of a loved one is one of the foremost creators of tears (2 Thes. 4:13). Sorrow over death, and the ugliness that first caused it, brought tears to the eyes of Jesus (Jn. 11:35). Our Lord understands the agonizing pain of loss. Dread or severe pain may bring tears to the bravest man (cf. Heb. 5:7). Anxiety over our children, parents, or brethren saddens us (Rom. 9:1-3; 10:1; 2 Cor. 2:4; 2 Cor. 11:28).

Children and immature adults may cry or sulk out of frustration when their selfish desires are blocked (cf. 1 Kings 21:4). The immature sheds tears or throws tantrums to pressure or punish parents or mates. The most important tears that spill from our eyes are those we shed over our sins (cf. Lk. 7:36-50). The Lord taught that the poor in spirit (humble) will be blessed with the kingdom of heaven (Mt. 5:3). The recognition that we are pitifully poor compared to God, who is rich in mercy (Eph. 2:4), will cause us to mourn over our sins (Mt. 5:4). However, because of our repentance, we shall be comforted, and there will be rejoicing in heaven. Just magine; our tears of repentance cause joy to God, and to the host of heaven (Lk. 15:7,10).

Oh, how important it is to keep our hearts tender, and to teach our children to be willing always to feel remorse over the things done wrong. The remorse must not result from being caught, but from the great offense to our Holy Creator. We must learn the difference between tears of repentance and those of selfish frustration.

Some tears will never be wiped away, for there are those who will suffer the consequences of their own disobedience into eternity (Mt. 25:30). But, how wonderful a promise it is that God will wipe away every tear of the faithful. (Rev. 7:17; 21:4; cf. 2 Kgs. 20:5). No wonder we are urged to cast our anxieties upon the Lord (1 Pet. 5:7). He knows all of our problems and emotional turmoil.

What an amazing thought it is that our tears are remembered “in his book,” as keepsakes, by Him who understands (Ps. 139:1-3), and who loves us.