Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

. . .especially through the eye of a photographer.  My husband and I can be driving down the road and I’ll see nothing but a plain field out the window, but he will spot the light hitting a weed just so and want to stop and take a picture of it.  He zooms in on the detail and voila. . . suddenly the weed becomes beauty appearing to my oblivious eyes. 

My husband has had a project over the last several years of photographing The Tall Grass Prairie in Oklahoma.  Most people, when they learn of this, say, “What is there to take pictures of, it’s just a huge, flat piece of land with nothing but grass?”  Ahh, I say, look through Keith’s lens. . .

When I started the blanket ministry for the homeless two winters ago, people have asked, “Why do you do this, they are there by their own choices, they will just take advantage of you.”  Ahh, I would say, look at them through the lens of Jesus’ eyes. . .

Psalm 139:14 says that we are His masterpiece and He wants us to know that full well.  Some people don’t know this yet, and if they can come to understand that they are loved and feel that love when a blanket is handed off to them, well. . .is that not worth it?  For them to feel the beauty of Christ’s love, to see them smile through their wrinkled faces and tired eyes. . .that is beauty I see through the lens of my eyes.

Through a horrendous act on a hill long, long ago, those who believe see the beauty of that day.  Through the Savior’s broken body, blood, pain, sweat and tears, was astounding love that still brings tears to my eyes when I close them and think about it.  Not sad tears but tears brought on by the overwhelming love He had for me, so undeserving was I, and he has this for all these people on the streets as well, some who say are undeserving.  We are ALL undeserving but we are all given a chance.  Some of us came to know of this love through a church home, loving parents who shared and taught, a friend who experienced this love and then shared with another.  Some may be on the street, waiting for that certain word, a touch, a hug, a blanket handed to them touched by the prayer and love of others.

How is beauty defined?  I don’t believe there is a canned answer.  We all have to open not only our eyes but our spirits and look beyond the windows, beyond the wrinkles, beyond the filth and odor, and see what Jesus sees…a masterpiece in the making.  May we let His love wash all over us so we can bathe others in it.

“And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us”

Psalm 90:17

God's masterpiece. . .a redeemed soul. . .true beauty!