Beauty… What a powerful thing it is!!
Beauty is everywhere. In people. In art. In landscapes. In photography. In television. Due to all the beauty surrounding this Earth, we ask ourselves these questions without even acknowledging them: Do you see me? Am I captivating? Do I have a beauty all my own?
The answer is… YES!
Society is full of information telling us what is beautiful, but what fact is that information based on? We are constantly being bombarded by messages from social media. Unfortunately, this becomes a temptation for comparisons, which lead to discontent. Comparing ourselves is nothing new, Cain compared himself to Abel and Jesus’ disciples struggled also. We need to swap the lies for truth. When Satan, the enemy of our soul, comes creeping in with his lies, we need to disprove them. Comparison STEALS our joy, and is a destroyer of peace! Even when, speaking for girls, we joke and say “oh my gosh, she’s perfect. she must have it so easy”, we are letting Satan win by discrediting our own life that God so perfectly has laid out for us. And IT. IS. EXHAUSTING. Is it not?!
It is captivating… mesmerizing… breathtaking. Isn’t that why we stop and look just a little bit longer?
Let’s ditch the dumb comparison we hold so dearly so we can do something beautiful for God.
So I didn’t just want my opinion of beauty so I asked some of my friends and here are some of their responses to my question, “How do you view beauty?”
~ “Beauty is truly in the eyes of the beholder. Some people can look at something or someone and think it is the most beautiful thing in Earth while others do not.”
~ “I don’t think I’ve ever really accounted beauty to just things that are seen, its more of an emotional connection for me.”
~ “Beauty is too conformed by society and what we are supposed to look like. I think its hard to find beauty in other things because the world is too obsessed with a beauty as in appearance and setting a standard of what is beautiful in a girl and what is not.”
~ “Beauty is the way people interact and love each other. When people sacrifice for someone because they love them so much. Man cannot create beauty. Beauty is choosing to see Jesus in our brokenness.”
I asked another question, “What is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?”
~ “People being joyful while doing what they love. Whether that be a job, music, being with friends, etc. And trees. I really love trees.”
~ “Redemption.”
~ “Real laughter.”
~ “A baby smile.”
~ “Different country landscapes like Easter Island, Stonehenge, Machu Picchu, Grand Canyon, everything in New Zealand.”
~ “Being selfless is the most beautiful thing. In the end it is beautiful to see people surrender themselves to be more like Jesus. Where I see Jesus is where I see beauty.”
How vast are these answers. How interesting that most of these answers began with another answer but then changed because they thought about something they thought was more beautiful.
Once upon a time, I thought the hills in West Virginia were the most breathtaking view my eyes have seen.
Then it was watching Katie and Brooke’s eyes light up at the word of Haiti.
Then it was Sanibel, Florida.
Then it was the Young Life camp, Saranac in New York.
Then it was my mom getting her dream job.
Then it was watching Kara’s cheerleading team win the NAIA national championship after all the hard work they put into it.
Currently it is the snow on top of the mountains of Colorado or Estes Park, Colorado (can’t decide haha).
The most interesting thing about beauty is that us, humans, you and me, are actually the MOST beautiful thing that God has created – and He’s created a lot of beautiful things. We’ve all read, or at least know, Genesis 1 and the truth that everything God created is a good creation. But you and me, we are a very good creation, Gen. 1:31
God does not make junk! God sees you as a masterpiece! God thinks your beautiful because He loves you – the Lover of your soul. The God of the entire universe LOVES YOU so much that He made you in a representation of himself!!
Try and believe it.
God knows you full well. Think about a mountain. Never seen one?? Go. Go and see the beauty it possesses. Is there anything really exactly the same in the world? No two mountains, two rocks, two trees, two rivers and no two birds that are the exact same. Very similar but still different. Now if the God who created each and every mountain, tree and animal different from the previous one, why would we dare to think he would make his very good creation the same as another? He puts all things we see as beautiful together so intricately – just as he knitted you and me together so intricately and calls us beloved.
Ask your Father to reveal your beauty to you. You’ll be surprised what He is going to reveal to you. (I’m currently in this process and let me tell you, it is breaking down walls I didn’t know I had & it’s AMAZING!!!!)
There are SO many places in the Bible that describes our beauty so here’s a few you can read and meditate on:
“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; man and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14
“You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.” Song of Songs 4:7
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothes yourselves with Christ.” Galatians 3:26-27
“She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.” Proverbs 3:15
“Let the King be enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your Lord.” Psalm 45:11
xo,
Kylie
