In the spring of 2020, I took my son for a scooter ride at the park.

I hit an uneven piece of sidewalk, and though I slowed, the scooter threw me. In spite of my COVID mask, the pressure I applied to my chin and the hours I sat still, my wound continued to bleed. So finally I went to Urgent Care. What a relief it was to get stitches in my wound.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, physical wounds take on average three months to fully mend; grieving wounds, much longer. However, like physical wounds, grief heals more quickly with the care of others.

Helpguide.org has good advice for those who want to support grieving friends: Let them retell the story of their beloved’s passing. Let them know you want to hear it. Be comfortable with their tears and their silence. Be a good listener — it’s like putting stitches in the wounds of grief.

“Mourn with those who mourn,” Romans 12:15 says. That’s what Jesus did when His beloved friend Lazarus passed away. He didn’t encourage them to see the bright side of things. He didn’t list what they should be thankful for. He didn’t even point to heaven. He wept with Lazarus’ sisters. He helped them heal by sharing in their sadness.