Grief Can Be Deeply Emotional, And That’s Okay

We should not look down on someone for having a deep, emotional reaction to grief.   #daybyday   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   In 2 Samuel 1, as David is grieving the deaths of Jonathan and King Saul, we see David take his clothes and tear them, along with his men doing the same thing. If we are familiar with the Bible, we are familiar with this practice somewhat. We see it happen among people in times of tragedy, or great fear. The tearing of the clothes is a very dramatic act. Garments were not easy to come by in those days, so the ruining of a garment on purpose would be pretty monumental. Your clothes were also a sign of status. What you wore usually indicated where you fell in the pecking order of society, so to ruin your clothes in such a way was a way of saying, “Status does not matter at this time. We are all to be devastated by this news.” The tearing of the clothes, in this case, signifies deep sorrow and agony and tribulation from within. A broken heart. A coming undone due to shock or pity. Grief is an emotional thing. Do not look down on someone when they express deep grief. And that expression is fleshed out in different ways among different people and cultures.