Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Everyone knows this simple little line that gives credibility to anyone who finds something beautiful that others do not. In many ways, it is true. Taken at face value it means some people like things others do not. What is beautiful, then, in God's eyes? After all, He created everything with a purpose. Carefully, he paid attention to every single detail when he created creatures as small as a bacteria to things as large as stars. "He counts the stars and calls them each by name." Psalm 147:4 Why would he pay so much attention and put so much thought into something that would be bad? That leads us to this question: what is bad, and what, then, is beautiful?
This rainy day I look outside and see dark grey storms clouds looming ominously overhead, just waiting to pour their blessedly cooling tears over this fried, dead desert. One may see this rain as a horrible curse, and another as a blessing in disguise. At summer camp this year I was slightly disappointed to see many activities like swimming at the lake or our outdoor rec time canceled due to the rain. After a three hour walk in the light drizzle, my griping changed to praise. The same rain that canceled my fun plans forced me to spend time looking at beautiful things. I walked around this lovely camp set in the mountains to discover some gorgeous delicate sweet pea flowers and a simply elegant garden. The sprinkling showers only multiplied the beauty by adding a new clean feeling to the area and the warm smell of fresh rain on grass. I could have sat inside with my headphones and a sour expression on, but by walking and enjoying the cool rain I found something beautiful out of something others might find a nuisance. After it all there was a rainbow in the sky, a symbol of God's faithfulness in His promise keeping. I would have missed this colorful reminder of God's grace if I had stayed inside complaining about what I had no control over. “I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”” Genesis 9:11-16 NIV
(This is a pic of a rather vibrant rainbow we saw two days ago after it rained)
When someone says something is beautiful, the first thing that comes to mind is probably not something like a thorn bush, a deadly animal, or a person with a disability. God considers these lovely though. He sees every bit of his creation as not only good, but very good. “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” Genesis 1:31 NIV Many poisonous plants contain properties for some of the best healing medicines in the world. Bothersome molds have provided the cure for bacterial diseases. We view bacteria and mold as inertly bad because it makes us sick, but they are only doing their job. Without bacteria and molds to break things down we would be wading through piles of dead carcasses of various plants, animals, and people. There would be no good, fresh soil for planting, and without certain kinds of bacteria and mold, we would not be able to digest food or make incredible food like cheese! A person may be born with a twisted leg or shortened arm, but because of their physical disability, they may grow and develop something that could change the world as we know it—like a cure for cancer.
Finally, the last bit of beauty to consider is you. Yes, you. A person, a human, is created after God's own image. “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27 NIV He created us each individually beautiful and called us good. Not good if they fixed their nose, good if they could sing well, or good if they lost some weight, but just plain good. God cherishes each and every one of us that he gave us some of His own characteristics to share. To some of us gave the gift of creativity and all that encompasses, to some the gift of wisdom, to others the gift of words, hospitality, encouragement, leadership, and the list goes on. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23 ESV and “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.” Romans 12:3-8 NIV To all he gave the gift of the capacity to love. “But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:5-6 NIV And to everyone he offers the gift of His love, joy, peace, hope, kindness, mercy, and goodness. All of us are beautiful in His eyes. His eyes are the only ones that truly matter. Everything was created out of His goodness and mercy, so nothing can be without beauty. Do you believe that about yourself?
Graced 