JOHN 11: 35 "Jesus Wept".

This past weekend, late at night, my wife woke me in tears, unable to old the information inside, alone, until morning. When she said the names I could see the grins on the faces of two children. One of our former students had shot and killed another one of our former students. Two young "boys" that passed through our classrooms, one for a year, the other for two years, immediately remind me of the words of the shortest verse in the Bible; "Jesus wept." When I ponder what it was that we were called to do for these two "men" just a few years ago when they were young and impressionable boys, right now only produces streams of tears. Each one sat in my classroom and looked up at me, and even if each one was unable to express it, I could see through their eyes into their hearts that they were, deep down, hoping I would provide more than just an "education". Every student I have ever met at Clintondale is worth more than what any value a diploma can give. I ache when I think of the precious and eternal value that each one of these two students brought into my classroom. For now all I can think about is two young boys, 14 years old, each one unable to hide that he wanted and needed his education to begin within his heart. Only God is able to see all answers to the many questions that are being asked and will be asked for a long time. For those of us that were in a place to influence, inspire, motivate, love, forgive, and ask for forgiveness, we are the ones that can ask questions that do have answers; it is those answers, if put into practice with each new young person that God entrusts us with, that will become a part of the wonderful mystery of how God can work all things together for good with those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. When the tears slow and time passes, I pray that these two boys will in the future give us a better perspective then we are grasping for now. But today, nothing helps more than to know that "Jesus Wept" at the news of the loss of a dear friend name Lazarus.