Give Beauty

Bible Study 

Isaiah 61:3 CEV

Today when we think of inner beauty it’s often a combination of kindness, integrity, and loyalty. After all, aren’t those qualities we might look for in a friend?

Deep inside we know that perfect people are unrealistic, but seeking someone who has some of those qualities is important. It helps us to feel safe (like they won’t attack without warning).

Integrity is also often high on the list because if a friend isn’t honest and if they don’t have good moral principles, it would be difficult to establish trust.

Many years ago we were taught those basic principles in the classroom. We were also expected to practice those principles on the playground. If we did not live by those principles, the teacher would set us aside. I remember I did not want to get set aside so I tried to be kind.

We know from Isaiah 61:3 how beauty in the Eighth Century B.C.E was described, “in Jerusalem. He sent me to give them flowers in place of their sorrow, olive oil in place of tears, and joyous praise in place of broken hearts. They will be called “Trees of Justice,” planted by the Lord to honor his name.”

Flowers, olive oil, praise, and justice.

Those items reminded me of the beauty of the earth as God created it and intended it to be.

However in today’s world beauty often takes on a false picture…a bravado.

I know people who want to look beautiful on the outside but they aren’t so concerned about inner beauty. As the saying goes, when push comes to shove we can often see what they’re really like on the inside.

The tree of justice God hoped for doesn’t always comfort us in our sorrow.

No olive oil is offered to soothe our tears.

Broken hearts do not heal from muted joyous praise.

In truth, we’ve all learned we cannot trust everyone. We learned to protect our heart. If we were given good examples in our lives of kind people we were blessed but eventually we came to know we can easily find unkindness in our world.

When I was in 6th Grade I knew a girl who lived not far from my house. I thought she could be trusted but in time I was bullied by her verbally and physically. My parents asked me not to play with her anymore. I was sad but I understood why they advised me to end the friendship. Much later in high school I found out her mother was seldom sober and she beat her children. I knew then the girl was acting out what she had been taught.

The mean girl knew nothing of inner beauty. When I found out what her life at home was like I spoke to her at school and I treated her with kindness.

I learned we aren’t all given a flower, olive oil to soothe our tears, and praise for a broken heart.

I also learned we just don’t know what we don’t know so we can try to give verbal flowers, olive oil to soothe tears, and praise for broken hearts.

It may not change everything but it will make the world a better place.

Deborah

acrazyjourney.com