Beautiful!

Have you ever seen something and thought that's so ugly it's beautiful? I have, I said it just the other day to my son. I think my words were, he is so ugly he's cute. The he I was referring to was a bulldog with the biggest underbite I have ever seen.

So how do we define what is considered beautiful? Websters defines beautiful as: having qualities of beauty: exciting aesthetic pleasure or generally pleasing: excellent. 

 I got to thinking about the word beautiful Sunday morning as my pastor was speaking on Revelation 21. He was talking about the the new Heaven and new Earth that is to come and how we can't know what these will look like. But we can only imagine how beautiful these will be. They will be beautiful because they not only will be God's creation but because there will no longer be anything not beautiful! There will be no hurts, no blemishes, no darkness, but only good.

I couldn't help but begin to imagine how beautiful this will truly be! But I also got to thinking about how different my current vision of beautiful probably is when compared to that of a single mom in the slums of Haiti, one of the poorest nations in the world. I think that woman's vision of beauty might be much different than mine. I can't imagine the things she endures daily that shape her definition.  I imagine her beauty to be found in a much purer form, the smiles of children, the sun rising to allow them another day, food for their next meal.

Beauty for me has been definied by media, photoshopped images, and doctor perfected people. Beautiful in America is often manufactured. Things are rarely defined as beautiful in my world without being altered first.

Am I saying I completely buy into all of this, no, but you can't help but let it influence you to some extent.  For me personally one of my favorite places to observe beauty is at home. I enjoy sitting on my porch with a cup of coffee, enjoying the flowers, birds, squirrels, deer, rabbits, dogs, and occasional beaver, wild turkey, fox and other wildlife. Not only is my personal perception of beauty probably different than that the single momm in the slums in Haiti,  it's probably different than a single mom in NYC, Miami,  or Anchorage. I'm also sure it's different than that of a three year old... an 80 year old. What about difference between a man and a woman? So many things help us to define what is beautiful to us.

It excites me to think about the day when beautiful will be be defined exactly the same by all of us! What an awesome day that will be when we can put to death all the ugly things of this world; poverty, hunger, hatred, violence and the list could go on for miles.

Revelation 21:3-5 says:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Lord, 

Let my life be beautiful and pleasing in your eyes. Please help me to show your love to all those I encounter in this life. I pray for opportunities to share your love and your word so that others will have the opportunity to experience your love and beautiful new world you will create for us!

In Jesus name

Amen!