Beautiful

I invite you to close your eyes and visualize beauty – what comes to mind?

Do you see scenes of nature? The Grand Canyon, the ocean, North Dakota sunsets, flowers, a special lake, snow dusted mountains, rippling streams, clear tropical water with darting life. Do you see people? Beauty queens, newborn babies, grandchildren, ahh–grandchildren.

Now, visualize a sick room. Can you find the beauty? Most might not think so. Beautiful thoughts are jerked short. Yet beauty can be found in the midst of suffering, pain, and tension—the beauty of caring service at the exact point of human need. Beautiful serving hands, listening ears, quiet words of warmth, comfort, and peace in a storm. Caring beauty.

Part of this year’s theme comes from mideastern Mawlana Jalal-al-Din Rumi: “Let the beauty we love be what we do.” Rumi’s verse may be a wistful plea to be able to live our lives doing work that is beautiful to us. Our work is care-giving. Can mundane serving of basic human needs be seen as beautiful? I believe the answer is “Yes.”

Last week I watched as a young mother of three used a syringe to place water in the mouth of her dying daddy. Every motion displayed love, honor, gentleness and deep respect. Behind her actions was a foundation of faith in God that she learned later in life as had her father. Now, deep appreciation resonated between one serving and one served. Her work? Beautiful!

Our work is beautiful:

#1 It is people we serve. The Apostle Paul adopted from his Maker an elevated view of humanity: “For we are God’s workmanship,” (Ephesians 2:10 NIV). Jesus says the hairs of our head are numbered; we are more valuable than many sparrows (Luke 12:7). People are the most valuable component of creation. Nothing serving human necessities needs be viewed as mundane.

#2 In serving people we serve their Maker. Jesus taught simply, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40b NIV). Have we desire to serve God? Serve people and serve both!

#3 Those who do their work as worship honor their Maker. The Apostle Paul admonishes, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” (Colossians 3:23 NIV). Having an eye for the Maker helps me better serve the "made".

The young mother beautifully served her daddy and honored her Maker in an act of love.

I suggest a prayer in the mirror that may be helpful to all of us,

Lord, help me see the beauty and value in people. Help me love serving them. Help me link serving people with everything else that I do. Help me to do my work as worship to you. Help me be beautiful.