Contemplative Bible Reading

Joel 3:13a (New Living Translation)

Don’t tear your clothing in your grief,
but tear your hearts instead.

I love the how the message is worded in this phrase.

In the day of Joel the prophet, people would literally tear their clothes to express grief. I suppose what some people do today is punch or kick a hole in the wall. That is quite demonstrative. It doesn’t do much for your clothing or the walls of your house, but it sure shows the people around you that you are upset.

Then again, it might just be that—a show, a public demonstration of, “Hey, look at me. I’m upset about all this, see?”

The prophet Joel passes along the LORD’s admonition:

Don’t give me a show, give me your hearts.

Oh, something important instead of something showy.