There are few that can contest with the beauties that exist in the natural world.
Though our culture continues to move toward “staying inside,” one walk in the outdoors invites the organic presence of beauty that cannot quite be explained in a way that would accurately capture its essence. Whether it is an intentionally planted garden, a forest in disarray, or a seamless landscape, the delight is not measurable. Perhaps it is in those moments that we feel a little closer to the world God created and allow the definition of a man-made sense of being…fade.
It is within this same breathtaking beauty and design that God created people.
Each one with a mark of magnificence and a detailed stroke of intelligence. Psalm 139:13 reminds us that He knit us together in our mother’s womb. If the God of the universe created each fiber of a person’s being then how does our perception of beauty in this perfect creation become distorted? How does a person remove themselves from the picture of natural beauty into a distorted view of themselves and others, where terms of worth are measured and each stroke of detail is objectively defined and valued or devalued?
There is not one person that has not at one time been subjected to the standard of the time to define their sense of self worth.
It is that point when a simple glance in the mirror to see a button becomes less a confrontation with the image of a person fastening a button and more of an analytical gaze that seems to claim what could or should be different with the picture that is seen. The thoughts begin to circle that more of this or less of that would make an acceptable person that the world could see and receive.
My friend growing up was a successful model, and, though everyone thought she had met the mark of our devised standard of beauty, she would complain to me that she was not pretty enough, that there was more she could do to be just right. I felt sad for her…
And I feel sad for all of us who are stuck “inside” of a perspective that does not lend itself to that breathtaking beauty that the Creator intended with each of our lives.
We will try and try to keep up, and it will never be enough. There will always be one more strand of hair to construct or one more make up design to construe.
God intended for us to see ourselves and others with the same awe and wonder as the rest of His creation. {click to tweet}
Once we are able to recognize beauty for its outer shell, the radiance of what is inside begins to seep through and change the worth of what is portrayed. Imagine a light fixture on a ceiling that looks perfect in a room and has all the etchings to invite marvel. This fixture does not reflect true beauty unless the light is shining through. So as one perceives themselves and begins to see the etchings of God’s handiwork, an invitation to turn the light on and shine God’s glorious splendor is a call for a kingdom come.
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Cara has been working in the field of psychology for over 15 years. Professionally she has worked on research teams to assess and analyze behavior and development, presented at a conference, and written on topics of interest that are pending for possible publication. She did her graduate studies in counseling psychology which allowed her to apply the research and theories learned into a practice to help others. She has spent the past few years working as a Behavior Specialist, a counselor at Eastern University, and opening a private practice.
Cara is married and has three children that she adores. She lives at a boarding school in New York, which has given her the opportunity to serve as a dorm mom to teenage girls. She spends her free time cooking Italian food, playing music, and working on projects. Cara became a Christian as a teenager and has since then taken steps of faith to grow into the woman God has designed her to be for His purpose and glory.
