Beautiful {part 1} | Self Portrait Series

Lately, I've been contemplating the meaning of beautiful.

beau·ti·ful

  

having beauty; possessing qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction to see, hear, think about, etc; delighting the senses or mind.

What does it mean to be beautiful? Do we have to have flawless skin, perfect hair, and straight teeth? I don't think so. 

The Bible says that God has made everything beautiful. Every leaf, every cloud, every snowflake, every person. 

This does not mean that everything in this life is beautiful- sin certainly isn't beautiful, but God did not make sin. Hatred is not beautiful, but God is not the author of hatred. Violence is not beautiful, but God did not create violence. Violence is borne out of the selfish hearts of men, not out of the loving heart of God. So there are some things in this life that are not beautiful; but these are the things men have made, not God.

{Ecclesiastes 3:11} For he has made everything beautiful in its time. 

We can see time in the flower crown- starting as a seed, and blossoming into beautiful flowers. We can also see time in the pearls- they start as simple, almost ugly grains of sand, and turn into beautiful white orbs, formed under accidental circumstances. 

 

Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3!