Regardless of square footage or simplicity, making a place beautiful shows that you value the people who are welcomed, that they matter, and that you are willing to take time for them. In a home or place of work, taking the time to add art, to creatively arrange furniture, to create a place of rest can speak volumes to the people who are invited in. Making something beautiful is an act of hospitality. Here are a few thoughts about what that beauty is and why it matters : That quote is from JP2's Letter to Artists, which I encourage you to read. It can manifest itself in many ways, but it is beco ming i ncreasingly more important in a wo rld where beauty, true beauty, is under attack. I do however feel the responsibility of creating a masterpiece with the life that God has given me, to both pursue and give beauty everyday. Men and women are entrusted with the task of crafting their own life: inĪ certain sense, they are to make of it a work of art, a masterpiece." It is way down at the bottom, but has been there for several years:Īrtists in the specific sense of the term. You may have noticed this quote over in my blog sidebar. So why make beautiful things? Why should we take the time to decorate a home, to pursue and appreciate art of all kinds, to dress with meaning, to create well-designed media, to use our talents to make everything around us better, more beautiful? That beauty is evident in music and the written word, in cathedral spires reaching the clouds and paintings of the Gospel stories. The beauty of virtue, the action of self-sacrifice, and the love of Another shows a greater truth. Its depth starts on the surface and goes far below to reach an understanding that is far beyond us. We use our skills to make and present the perfect gift for a friend.įor Christians, beauty means something more. We take the time to put on a dress, lipstick, and fancy shoes. We set tables with flowers, candles and our best china for a celebration. That beauty manifests itself in characteristics like genuine kindness, empathy, and hospitality, but it also can be seen visually. I'm not talking about being an airbrushed model on the cover of a magazine, but more an attitude of the soul that radiates outward. Why is something beautiful? What meaning does beauty carry? How do we bring beauty into the world as well as receive it?Įspecially as women, I feel that we yearn to bear beauty in our daily lives. Beauty has been on my heart these past several months.
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