Beauty From The Unwanted
I was traveling through south Texas the other day, and it suddenly occurred to me that there was beauty everywhere. Not only do I enjoy driving around the countryside, I enjoy seeing new things and taking routes I have not traveled before.
I started noticing the flowers alongside the road. There was just about any color imaginable. As I drove through some areas, I realized there were entire fields covered in these flowers. The yellows were brilliant, the purples were majestic, the reds were deep, the pinks were dainty, and the whites looked like snow.
This got me to thinking of all the beauty that God has given us. Many people would love to see such colors, but their eyesight is not what it used to be, or some are not able to see these at all. I feel sorry for those who are deprived of such beauty. One of the biggest problems is that people just do not take the time to notice such beauty.
We are so intent on getting to our next destination we fail to see what is on our journey. Hurry up and get there seems to be the focus of so many people today. Some people must have noticed the beauty, because I saw cars parked alongside the road, and people were taking pictures, and perhaps they were picking some flowers to take to someone they care about.
Just about everyone has something in their mind that they consider beautiful. The phrase of "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" is very true. The mountains are majestic, and the sea is serene and calm most of the time. There is a peace by being in a garden or on a forest trail. There are just so many places that look good on a postcard or picture puzzle.
But with all the color and beauty of these wild flowers; we still recognize that most people consider these nothing more than weeds. Weeds are unwanted predators of our lawns and yards. We pick them out of our gardens and yards without thinking that something beautiful is about to erupt in our presence.
There are other things which are beautiful. Everyone in their own right has a beauty about them. It could be external, but internal beauty is by far the best kind. This is what is called the inner person of the heart that the Bible commands us all to be. There are passages that tell us to be peaceable, loving, kind-hearted, true, and even patient.
What we do not want to happen is for us to put on some fake kind of facade. Have you ever noticed those magazines that show photos of the stars without makeup? Yeah, on the silver screen, they are beautiful, but without their makeup they can be pretty ugly or even disgusting in their appearance. All they have proven is that they can mask (makeup) themselves to be something they are not. Many people do this not with makeup, but by their actions. They might do pretty things, but inside they are filthy. Jesus told the Pharisees that they were like the whitewashed tombs; Pretty on the outside, but full of dead men's bones. People who are hypocrites fall into this category. And of course we know that Satan's disciples disguise themselves as angles of light.
Jesus told His disciples to consider the lilies of the field. He said that even Solomon in all his glory, could not be arrayed as the flowers (Luke 12:47).
There are many ways to see the beauty of God. Notice in Psalm 96:9 "O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth". Also notice in Psalm 29:2 "Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness". We should all look for the beauty of God and what God has done for us. The word of God, the Bible, has its own beauty as it has been preserved for us. The church is described by Jesus as a beautiful bride, without spot or blemish (Ephesians 5:27).
An act of kindness can be beautiful to someone who is down trodden. The feet of those who preach the gospel are considered beautiful by God. Realize that the greatest act of kindness was performed by Jesus upon the cross. Sharing that message with people who need salvation is the most beautiful thing on this earth. Also, let us not forget that heaven is described as beautiful, and we all want to go there, and hopefully we can teach others so that they can go there also. Proverbs 20:29 reads: "The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head". Let us all take time to look for the beauty surrounding us, and remember to thank God for making it possible.
By Carey Scott

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