The Bread of Tears: The Gospel Song of Lament, “Sometimes I Feel like a Motherless Child”
The Bread of Tears: A Gospel Song of Lament, “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child”
“Those who sow their tears as seeds will reap a harvest with joyful shouts of glee. They may weep as they go out carrying their seed to sow, but they will return with joyful laughter and shouting with gladness as they bring back armloads of blessing and a harvest overflowing!” (Psalm 126:5-6, TPT).
The Miracle of Tears. Each of us as human beings share a spectacular miracle… We each have been gifted by our Creator God with the ability to shed tears. And not merely one type of tear, but three kinds of tears, all of them benefitting us in different ways that, being so common, are easily taken for granted. First there are the Basal tears which are constantly produced to keep our eyes lubricated and moist, and which also provide much-needed nutrients to the cornea. Secondly are the Reflex tears that are triggered by irritants which wash away debris like dust and foreign objects, sooth our eyes from smoke, and prevent further irritation by giving our eyes time to heal up from the irritation. Amazingly too, Reflex tears contain antibodies to fight bacteria and avoid infection in our eyes. Finally, there are the Emotional tears which are released during times of strong emotions both positive and negative, such as anger, joy, sorrow, relief, fear, high stress, grief, and when something is felt deeply and needs expression. Emotional tears are a special gift of our creator God, because they contain protein-based hormones that act as natural painkillers; a higher protein content to strengthen the eyes and keep them healthy; neurotransmitters that effect the ability to remember, to learn, to focus and pay attention, and release harmful stress. Emotional tears are a divine gift because it helps us express ourselves in healthy ways that are difficult to express any other way. Regardless of the kind of tear, they all contain enzymes that promote healing and maintain the health of our eyes. All tears are basically a water-based liquid that contain .3 mg of salt which have electrolytes and salt particles like sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. God is certainly the Lord of the Details when it comes to something as common yet complex as human tears.
Motherless Child — The Blind Boys of Alabama
This classic spiritual from the slavery era has powerfully stood the test of time down through history. It has been called by a musical historian the “saddest and most beautiful song about the slavery experience.” Full of minor chords, it has a mood of somber despair, of homesick loneliness, of isolation and deep pain. It is a mournful song, but it also includes a subtle sign of hopefulness, because “sometimes” means “maybe not all the time.” One can feel the travails of someone who has been separated from one’s family, sold away on the slaveholder’s auction block. There have been countless versions of this somber song, and it never fails to bring sorrow in its wake.