2 Cor. 2:4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.
Psalm 126:5 & 6 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
Please, for your own sake, do not belittle tears. They are greatly valued by God (Ps 56:8), and without them, you can almost assuredly not be a soul-winner.
Hank
That's not what I was belittling. :D
You forgot to commend me for at least coming up to your standards and emulating Paul. Or did you miss that? :D
You wrote: "...without [tears], you can almost assuredly not be a soul-winner."
A "soul winner"? There is no such thing. There are only "seed planters" and "seed waterers". If there's going to be any "growth", that is totally God's doing.