Over the weekend, while engaged in serious pursuit of rising rainbow trout, I had a bit of an epiphany if you will.
It occurred to me that our celebration of beauty in others is misplaced. Instead of celebrating the beauty of another, it is the beauty of God's design and, ultimately, God Himself that is worthy of celebration. For it is in the creation, the design if you will, that reveals true beauty--the Creator.
It occurred to me that our celebration of beauty in others is misplaced. Instead of celebrating the beauty of another, it is the beauty of God's design and, ultimately, God Himself that is worthy of celebration. For it is in the creation, the design if you will, that reveals true beauty--the Creator.
Perhaps this explains my hesitation in labeling the artificial as beautiful. The tanning and highlighting and such things alter and distort God's intended design and creation.
Soli Deo Gloria.
4 comments:
I would like to contemplate further whether adorning oneself to enhance one's appearance is a distortion. I, of course, wholeheartedly agree with your assessment in terms of the innate beauty of God's creation and that there has been a twisting of the standard of beauty by our society. However altering one's appearance seems to be reasonable if means and ends are righteous. Here in the Northwest we have many who subscribe to "natural looks." Sometimes they smell bad :(
Altering one's appearance does not always result in a distortion. For example, an individual approaching middle-age may notice that he or she is "putting on some extra pounds." As a result, he or she may work towards shedding some of those extra pounds which, obviously, will result in altering one's appearance.
I was speaking, though, of more fundamental changes--changes that are essentially made b/c the individual thinks that an artificial image would be more beautiful than his or her intended, God-created image.
And, of course, by "natural" I do not mean "one with the earth." Rather, I am referring to original design. So, by all means, I encourage showering.
Of course, all of this begs the question of whether, for example, women should shave their arm-pits. For now, although there are cultures where women do not shave such areas, I will continue to ask my wife to do so.
Your wife will gladly comply!
Thanks!
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