One sympathy gift which you can give to a beloved friend or colleague going through grief is the tear bottle. While tear bottles function today as decorative items or as jewelry pieces, they used to have a more practical, literal use back in the day. These bottles were created to collect the tears of those left behind as a testament of their love and yearning to the lost beloved. The Bible, too, speaks of placing tears in a bottle and weeping in times of devastation, despair, or distress.
But, is the tear bottle really a part of the Christian faith? What does the Bible say about tears or weeping? This blog provides some useful information and proper justification why a tear bottle can be a meaningful sympathy gift for your Christian friend.
Tears as Mentioned in the Christian Bible
Human tears are a conveyor of emotions. Oftentimes, we cry when we are sad, joyful, or moved by any deep emotion. In the Bible, moreover, crying is not considered a manifestation of weakness. In fact, there are Bible verses that speak of the necessity of tears and the ability of tears to move others.
One of the most popular Biblical quotes about tears can be found in Ecclesiastes 3: 4, with the line, “A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” Another quote speaks of God’s recognition of someone’s tears. In Psalm 34:15, it says: “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry.”
In another, specifically Psalm 56:8, David prays to God and speaks of his entreaty: “Thou tellest my wanderings, put thou my tears in Thy bottle; are they not in Thy book?”
How Were Tear Bottles Used in the Olden Times?
Tear bottles first made their appearance in antiquity, or in the time before the birth of Christ. The Old Testament of the Bible, written before Jesus walked the Earth, already speaks about placing tears in bottles, although this could have been more figurative than literal.
Ancient tombs in the Middle East as well as in Egypt were uncovered with hundreds of decorative items and jewelry buried with royalty and the wealthy. Some of these items were shaped like bottles, believed to have been used to collect tears.
Many centuries later, with the birth of Christ in the Roman times, tear bottles were placed on tombs as a symbol of their love. The Victorian Era reclaimed this practice, when tear bottles were used to store actual tears. The mourning period ended when the collected tears in the bottles had dried up.
The Tear Bottle as a Sympathy Gift in Contemporary Times
Due to the metaphorical significance of the tear bottle, as well as the acceptance of tears and weeping as part of human life, it has developed to become a symbolic sympathy gift in the modern era.
Today, intricately designed tear bottles are considered to be meaningful, poignant art pieces. These bottles are often displayed to commemorate the sorrow, love, and remembrance that accompany the loss of a loved one.
Although the practice of capturing tears in a bottle is no longer being done today, the tear bottle has nevertheless retained its significance. You can place this bottle on an altar or in a special enclave in remembrance of someone and the relationship you once shared.
If you’re searching for various designs of tear bottles as a gift to yourself or someone else, we have them at the Comfort Company. From classic Victorian styles to hand-blown designs, we have the type which you might just love.
To learn more about our tear bottles and other sympathy gifts, visit our site here.