Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
(Ecclesiastes 3:11)

A few weeks back I woke up suddenly in the wee hours of the morning staring at a photograph of three of my boys running in staggered formation down the basketball court at Buffalo Park. The cool snapshot was one of the many moments of time we shared a couple months ago when Live Oaks hosted a bring-your-own-lunch to enjoy together in the park after service.

As I stared at the photograph in the dimness, I felt God was trying to speak to me. I grabbed the photo, went into the front room, turned on the light and began to listen for the Lord. Just the day before, our church celebrated the success of this year’s VBS with a pool party at Orchard Recreation Center. Chris Dillon and Elizabeth Massey brought a photo album of the many shots they took throughout the prior week of ministry. It was amazing how many great snapshots they took! Page after page of the album contained funny, beautiful and meaningful scenes captured on film.

Sitting in my living room, I realized that “beauty” really is in the eye of the beholder. I began to wonder, how many of these wonderful experiences and scenes did I or others miss in ministry, at a worship service, and as we gather in all-church events because our mind/hearts were focused on other things – the flaws, shortcomings, and unimportant details…? How much beauty have we missed in our families, and relationships because we took them for granted
or squandered the opportunities to enjoy and nurture them…? How many times do we miss the beauty in our present circumstances because we long for the fantasy “greener grass” beyond the rainbow…?

I sensed the Holy Spirit strongly urge me to see the good and focus on the beauty around me – beauty and riches I would miss if I focused on lesser things - beauty that would cease to affect my heart, and by default allow a critical spirit, discontent, and the burnout of hopelessness to stain my demeanor. I thank God for using Chris and Elizabeth to admonish me to keep my mind and focus set on the beauty that is present.

When you look at yourself…when you look at me…when you look at God, His word, and His will…when you look at our church and our ministries… do beautiful pictures fill the gallery of your mind? Moreover, do you celebrate the beauty that you see? If not, you must make the choice to change your focus now and ask the Holy Spirit to help you see the beauty God sees. Only in seeing the will and beauty of God in all the people and circumstances in your life can you be where God wants you to be and be the blessing to others He intends. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Is the beauty around you your focus?

“Do not repay evil for evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called that you may inherit a blessing.”
(1 Peter 3:9)

Beholding Beauty,

P. Kelley