Beauty
What exactly is beauty? It is a common question that arises in today’s culture. The literal definition of beauty is “A combination of qualities, such as shape, color, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight.” There are many advocates who depict physical beauty. You see them in magazines, on tv, etc… and each one is different from the next. Which is truly depicting beauty? None of them, yet all of them are correct. Truth is, there is no true definition or scale that measures what is more beautiful than the next. Beauty, as we are told, is in the eye of the beholder.
As humans we were created in each our own image, being perfectly imperfect in design. Our very perspective of God and beauty can be changed when we view Him as the creative creator. Just as we are created each differently, how much more unique has God created nature. Everything has its own distinct characteristics and though certain aspects may be similar, they are all different. Each one beautiful in its own way. We are also made to be creative, because of our inheritance of being image bearers of God. God is a creative God, and that gets passed down to us and drives our imaginative side to create. You see this especially in children, wanted to build, destroy, and repeat. Testing out different ways to create. You also see this in Jesus, who speaks in parables, which are stories told in an effort to depict an image. In other words, Jesus spoke in pictures.
As Christians we can view it like this: Beauty and the Bible are similar in the fact that when you begin to understand them, something else jumps out at you. There is always something more to be learned, because God’s revelations are a continua of information being made known to everyone. God’s revelation can be shown in the pictures we create, new things being discovered, and innumerable other ways. In the images we make, it reveals the imagination God has given us, to others who may view it. We can express our beauty through art, and as people pass by they will see what God has placed in our imagination. Some of these people will have planted roots in our lives. As time passes though those people may not be there anymore, but they have roots in our lives that we may be reminded of this. There are cautions to this, as in the past golden calves had been made and became idols in some lives. However, images themselves are not wrong, worshipping them is. The way we worship, in essence, can be beauty. By using the imagination God gives us, we can create beauty that may allow for a glimpse of God.
So what is beauty? Beauty is what you make it to be. What beauty isn’t, is someone or something ‘fake’. Be you, and be real. That is true beauty.
Peace out Adam’s Apples
Bibliography
- Shaw, Luci. 2007. Breath for the Bones: Art, Imagination and Spirit: Reflections on Creativity and Faith. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson (Ch. 1&3).
- Winner, Lauren F. 2015. Wearing God: Clothing, Laughter, Fire and Other Overlooked Ways of Meeting God. New York: Harper Collins (Pg. 2-16).
- Krahn, Karmen and Leslie James. 2008. Proclamation By Design: The Visual Arts in Worship. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press (Ch. 1).
- Brand, Hilary and Adrienne Chaplin. 2001. Art & Soul: Signposts for Christians in the Arts. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press (Ch. 10).
#inspired
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