11/06/2008

Reflection on Beautiful

I've been reflecting on the word "beautiful" when I read Jesus' words to a woman.

She was a woman of ill-repute. But when she showed how much she loved Jesus, Jesus said of her, "She has done a beautiful thing to me" (Matthew 26:10).

I asked myself a question: "How can we human beings be beautiful?" This is my brief (and incomplete) answer. I can be beautiful when I:

  • Consider others better than myself (Philippians 2:3)
  • Listen to others until they feel they were heard (James 1:19)
  • Take responsibility and not blame others (Genesis 3:11-13)
  • Validate others opinions and preferences as very good (Genesis 1:31), even if I disagree
  • See the good in others and assume the best of them (Philippians 2:3, Genesis 1:27), not their worst
  • Encourage, not discourage (Hebrews 3:13; 10:25)
  • Trust, not control (Luke 15:12)
  • Remove self from my center (Genesis 1:1)
  • While listing this I know that it's humanly impossible to do because of all my blind spots.

Surely I need God's mercy. If you like, let me know how you can be beautiful.

1 comment:

  1. as they say beauty is skin deep. too many beautiful people with ugly hearts.

    ReplyDelete