Where Beauty and Sacrifice Meet

A few months ago I was listening to "Grace Talks," a podcast by Edie Wadsworth who blogs at life{in}grace. The podcasts are focused on the things that make up a fulfilling life and how we can incorporate those concepts into our daily lives. In the podcast on beauty she said that Christ's beauty was best displayed on the cross. 

While I don't know that there is a Bible verse backing up that statement (Bible scholars?) I think it is true. The cross was the culmination of everything. Christ's purpose, His satisfaction, His drive was to the cross to honor God, to finish His work, to redeem mankind. The best display of any characteristic in a believer is found in obedience. 

Don't you find it interesting that His beauty was best displayed in sacrifice? In pain, suffering, humiliation- this pouring out of all that was in Him best displayed His love, His beauty, His God-ness. (Is that word?) We look for beauty, for satisfaction in things that fulfill us; that make us look good, sound good, feel good. We search to please self not to deny self in our search for beauty. 

Beauty is worth nothing when it is for show- when we hoard it for ourselves to make us feel good or to impress others. I believe if we are to follow Christ's example, true beauty is best displayed in sacrifice, in trying to serve God and others. Isn't God beautifying me as I obey? Isn't my love growing and being displayed as I do the work in front of me? 

My work has been in the front of my thoughts lately. You know this because I've been blogging about it. What I've not been blogging about is how beauty is intertwined into our lives as believers. God has given me a work. It's important because obedience is important, not because the world says my role is important. I'm not to worry about what someone else's work is or how they are doing it. I am to do mine, faithfully and passionately. Beauty, real beauty-not a supermodel show- is something I desire and can be found in my daily life.  The beauty is in the work. It's in pouring out my talents and abilities for these people God has placed in my life. None of it was an accident. God made me specifically the way He wanted. And He put each individual person in my life on purpose. 

I am to use my talents and abilities to bless those in my life. My husband, my children, my extended family, my church family, my friends, my homeschool co-op, the stranger at the grocery store, the acquaintance who needs a listening ear, my blog readers even. 

That is my purpose. Everything I desire for my person, my character, is tied up in my relationship with Christ and obedience. Amazing.