We reckon ourselves great judges of beauty. We seek out aesthetics that appeal to our senses, for one reason or another. Maybe it’s a bright, joyful quality that causes our smiles to beam and our souls to radiate outward. Maybe it’s a dark, provoking undertone that forces us to pause introspectively. Maybe it’s a raw, gruesome feature that makes us want to turn away, but doesn’t let us. Or maybe it’s a universal truth, at least to our limited knowledge, revealed in some seemingly original way.
Some of us are harsh critics of beauty. We see things the way we want to see them, and anyone who disagrees is wrong. We think they should be more open and try looking at things in a different light. Others of us categorize that way of thinking as skewed, or ignorant even. We claim, “Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.” Anything and everything can be beautiful in its own way.
In all honesty, though, we are terrible beholders of beauty. We can’t shed our own biases because we can’t step outside of them. We can’t ignore our own blind spots because we don’t know they exist. And we can’t recognize true beauty because we don’t have all the tools to see it.
Beauty does not come from outward adornment. It isn’t found among endless fields. Nor is it found within jewels or precious metals. Outward appearance is fleeting, even the flowers will wither, and the rocks of the earth will erode. But, beauty is found in the heart. True beauty is found in love, and exemplified in perfect love. And only God is capable of such love. “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” God is perfect in love. His love is immense and flawless. And His love is absolutely beautiful.
alexandersoul 