The image of Emmett Kelly is what I remember most about the circus clowns of the old days. Emmett expressed the epitome of maudlin. Maudlin describes itself as self-pity, over sentimental and often tearful. Later in my life, clowns took on a whole new image and instead of being funny, they became scary and evil. Emmett made us laugh with his apparent sadness – now clowns have become an evil force. Isn’t it funny how things change over time? The things that once were fun and safe have been corrupted and become just the opposite.

The word “maudlin” popped into my head this morning. Maybe it’s because of circumstances going on in my life right now. Maybe self-pity is creeping into my head and making a sad clown out of me. Tears can fall at any moment, and they usually do. There are times when we must put on a mask to cover the pain behind it. There are moments when we are required to be strong in adversity, but the only way to do that is to create a different face. There are days that we would rather crawl back into bed and forget about the rest of the week. Certainly, God doesn’t want that for us. Yet having experienced humanity Himself through His Son, Jesus, He knows what those maudlin emotions can lead to. Words like depression, anxiety, stress, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts might soon follow..

Jesus willingly took all our burdens, our worries, our maudlin thoughts to the cross and buried them in the tomb. When He rose again, His mission on earth was accomplished. He defeated death and the devil and gives us all the hope of a perfect destination after this one.

PSALM 56:8-11 “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle.
    Are they not in your book? Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call.
    This I know, that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?”