Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, and the end of mirth may be grief. (Proverbs 14:13)
Living In Two Worlds
The most tragic event in the history of man is when Eve reached forth with her hand and took the fruit forbidden by the word of God. In an instant, everything changed. The world of complete fellowship with God ended. All the beauty and peace infused into the new creation disappeared. Adam and Eve immediately felt shame and guilt. The joyous communion they shared with the Lord God was shattered. God pronounced the consequences of rebellion upon the man and woman. Eve would live a life of sorrow, bearing children. Adam would toil, in the sweat of his brow, to provide for his family. Life would be hard.
Whatever sorrow Adam and Eve felt when removed from the Garden of Eden, that overwhelming sadness would be magnified one hundredfold years later when they found their son Abel dead. As if the story could not grow worse, the parents of Abel learned that their firstborn son, Cain, killed his brother. Adam and Eve faced for the first time the gravity of the consequences of sin. Death filled their hearts with an unimaginable pain that tore their souls apart. As they buried their son, they pondered the reasons why and how to move through the feelings of grief. Cain and his family would disappear and become fugitives and vagabonds on the earth. In time, Adam and Eve welcomed another son. Eve called him Seth, meaning that God appointed for her another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him. In the midst of sorrow came joy.
The two worlds of grief and joy would forever mingle in the hearts of men. During the flood, Noah’s heart was broken for all the lives lost, yet he rejoiced in the salvation of his family. David and Bathsheba faced the certain death of their child and mourned his passing. Joy returned to the heart in the birth of Solomon, meaning “Beloved of the Lord” (Jedidiah). The widow of Nain was overwhelmed with grief when her son died, yet found the joy of God’s grace when Jesus restored his life to him. Mary and Martha were grieved with the death of their brother Lazarus, complaining to Jesus that if He had been there earlier, Lazarus would not have died. Jesus wept! Then the Son of God took their sorrow away and raised Lazarus from the dead.
Paul calls death a sting, something destructive and painful. The metaphor is like the sting of a bee or scorpion, or the venomous sting of a serpent. There would be no death without sin. Death comes upon all men because of what happened in the garden. God does not allow Satan to roam the earth killing people, nor does God carry out His justice by “taking” people. The Lord is not in the business of killing people. Natural laws bring about death. Falling off a cliff will bring death because of the law of gravity and the misjudgment of the victim. Disease kills millions because the body is a corrupt vessel. There is hatred, prejudice, and violence that kill untold numbers of people. Death brings sorrow and seldom gives answers.
The wise man noted the character of two worlds in contrast with one another. Laughter can conceal a heavy heart. The face may show a sense of peace, but inside the heart, feelings of grief swirl, unbearable to accept. When the laughter ends, all the emotions of grief remain. Understanding the conflict between these two worlds is where man’s faith is tested. Job’s friends saw the immense grief in his heart after losing his ten children. The loss of his property was not central to his grief. Job mourned the loss of those servants who had been killed. Death filled his soul to the filling point. When his health deteriorated, his grief was magnified. He could regain his possessions. His health may improve. The ten children would never be seen again. His prayers for them ceased. Mrs. Job was stricken with a grief only a mother who bore ten children could bear.
To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven. Everyone knows there will be times of joy in the birth of a child and there could be nights of sorrow in their deaths. There will be times of weeping, and there will be times to laugh. Joy and sorrow go hand in hand. A person’s grief may be overshadowed by times of joy and laughter, but the grief remains. There will never be a time of getting over or moving on from the pains of grief. Laughter is a false positive that betrays the heart’s true feelings. God has blessed His people with His love and grace to give joy to the downtrodden. For the child of God who trusts in the blessings of the eternal Father, an acceptance of sorrow becomes real. In the midst of the deepest grief comes the joy of the Father’s love to soothe and temper the pains of grief. The hope that resides in the hearts of God’s people is the moment in death when God will wipe away every tear from the eyes of His children. And then, what a moment – eternal joy begins without sorrow, pain, and tears. Lord, come quickly.
