Unexpected Beauty

It sat in the corner, pushed out of sight for an excessively long time. I had originally purchased it to cook with, but it somehow had escaped and was hiding, hoping not to be seen.

With every stroll through the kitchen, it was becoming a bit more difficult not to take notice of what used to be an ordinary onion. It had sprung forth new life and screamed for attention. What was once mundane had transformed into something of sheer beauty.

It reminded me of how often we overlook things. We see past people and never pause long enough to see the beauty within. We struggle to accept the fact that life screams for our attention and admiration, effectively blinding us to those hurting around us. We often, in the daily hustle of life, miss Jesus as well. He doesn't scream for our attention, but He is always...right there. Waiting. Hoping that we will love Him enough to notice.

Moments pass by and before you know it, the beauty of youth has faded and is gone. It is as true today as it was in years gone by. We get old. We forget things. We lose sight of what we once were and what others meant to us. We also lose focus on the beauty of our own forgiveness. We forget the sacrifice that was made by Christ to redeem us from the depths of our depravity and sin. We in a sense, forget how deep and dark the pit was that once held us captive.

Life will beat the spirit within you to the point of death if you let it. We reach a point where we can’t see like we once did. We find ourselves bitter and unable to observe the everyday love that exists in life.

So, what do we do? Do we just give in and give up? Do we accept the fact that it simply is how life progresses and that there is little we can do? Absolutely not. Instead, we remind ourselves of who Jesus is and what He's done in our lives. We draw close to Him and reflect on that moment that our hand was embraced in His. That moment that we were finally, for the first time, able to inhale through lungs that had been redeemed and set free.

Today, for instance…is your day. Seize it. Seize it in the name of Jesus. Interrupt the fast pace of life and try to identify the beauty in the moment. See if you can view objects, people and places in a new light...the light of Christ. Go to God in prayer and ask Him to give you eyes today that sees like He does. A compassion for others like He has.

Love others in such a way that you also change what they see. Have compassion for them that essentially causes a paradigm shift. Help them see in a different light.

Help them see what they are struggling to notice in their life.

The unexpected beauty of Jesus.