Beautiful? It depends on who is looking!!

On Friday, as I made my regular journey from the gym to ASDA, I noticed a couple walking towards me.  I freely confess to never having had any physical attraction to those of the same gender as myself, but I would have thought that the young man would have been found to be physically attractive to many females.  However, the young woman with whom he was walking, hand in hand, was what I could only describe as "very plain".

I found myself thinking that "it must be love"!  A handsome young man, with such a (to me!) plain-looking girl.  The old adage "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" also came to mind.

Then ( I suspect) God the Holy Spirit took over!  I realised that, in spiritual terms, I am so ugly.  Sin has so marred me, and corrupted me.  Even when I am at my very best (and that isn't all that often!), I am tainted by, and tarnished with, sin.  There is absolutely nothing that Someone as pure, and holy, and sinless, as Almighty God could possibly see as attractive.

Therein is the wonder of the Christian Gospel!  You see, Father God looks on me and, in His eyes, I am beautiful!  Indeed, I am more than just beautiful - I am precious!  So precious that, in the Persona (that's not a typo - listen to the audio message on The Trinity at www.revcbross.blogspot.com) of the Son - Jesus of Nazareth - He hung on a cross, and died in my place.  That's not natural - but it is supernatural!

I can certainly imagine being willing to die for one of my close family members, or even for a very close friend.  That could be seen as being natural.  But someone whom I found to be totally repulsive!?  That would take a supernatural love - of which, I suspect, I would not be capable.

Beauty is, indeed, in the eye of the beholder.  Praise God that, when He looks at me, He doesn't see me for what I am, but He sees what He wants me to be.  As I come before Him, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, He says "... you are precious in My eyes, and honoured, and I love you, ..." (Is.43:4). 

I may (will!!) never win any physical beauty contest.  But in spiritual terms, I am "... beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:" (Jude 1).  Hallelujah!