What Is Beautiful

There are many opinions on what is beautiful.

Social media no doubt influences in an enormous way. I remember a song sung by a young Christian artist years ago called Beautiful with the first words of the chorus, I want to be beautiful. The gist of the song expresses a desire to be done with the emptiness of skin-deep beauty and be beautiful in God’s eyes, to get worth and love from Him. Probably not a few of us can relate to wanting to feel loved and accepted and beautiful without striving to keep up or to be accepted.

What is beautiful to one may not be to another. We could never meet everyone’s standards, whether in appearance or personal taste, which can change a thousand times.

Though I could (and kind of want to) go on and on, here are some examples:

One person’s celebrated gray hair might be the personal dread of another.

Some feel prettier in short hair while others feel their beauty would be less if they cut their long hair.

Some celebrate their wrinkles while some will go to drastic measures to erase them.

Some love their homes for the coziness and hard-earned tatters here and there, while others find beauty in the brand new.

Some are deeply inspired by the desert and its open skies, some find it bare and lacking.

Some love green lawns, others prefer untamed wildflowers to dazzle their entire space.

Garden beds in the front yard are growing in popularity, still some would argue garden beds belong in the back yard.

There are countless views on what beauty encompasses. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, they say. So is there any standard on which we can all agree?

On a walk recently, a friend and I made the connection that flowers give us intense joy, a distraction of sorts to put our minds on things that are lovely. I loved that she and I both understood their role in a deep way and that we agreed perfectly on their beauty. They are God’s gift for us to enjoy. Beauty comes from His hand.

What is beautiful? True beauty’s enduring qualities remain through all the seasons of life, the changes of culture and the lens of one’s experiences. I’ve taken notice of true beauty in others lately.

Beauty is that friend who has been through so much yet stands strong in her faith, declaring the goodness of God to a crowd of people, shining the light of Jesus brighter than ever before with vulnerability and deep gratitude.

Beauty is a life filled with impossible brokenness restored, redeemed, miraculously changed.

Beauty is caring for those who can’t care for themselves.

Beauty is humility.

Beauty is serving others.

Beauty is forgiveness.

Beauty is endurance to run the race that is set before us.

Grace in the midst of fearsome battles.

Believing the best in someone.

Beauty is trusting God.

Authenticity.

Optimism.

Stubborn hope.

Gentleness.

Laughter.

Beauty is standing alone in our convictions if circumstances call for it.

Beauty is finding beauty in another.

The beauty of God’s character never changes. It is forever. May we see and celebrate more and more what is truly beautiful.

Thank you to all who inspire me to love what is truly beautiful.