Ever had one of those moments when sunlight hits a rain puddle just right, turning it into a liquid prism? Or when a stranger’s laugh cuts through your bad mood like a sparkler in the dark? Beauty? It doesn’t ask for an invitation. It just barges into our messy lives, bold as you like.
There’s this amazing story about Mary of Bethany. She crashes a dinner party in John 12, cracks open a jar of perfume worth a year’s wages, and dumps it on Jesus’ feet. The room reeks of extravagance. Judas was not happy. He grumbled: “This could’ve fed the poor!” But Jesus stepped in: “Leave her alone. She’s honoring me.”
So, beauty isn’t just some extra fluff – it’s actually a form of rebellion. A middle finger to despair. A reminder that even in a world of bare minimums, we’re wired for more.
Reflection for the Week:
- When did beauty last ambush you? (A street musician’s riff? A toddler’s mud pie?)
- Does your church confuse “simple” with “stark”? What if stained glass or a fresh flower bouquet is ministry?
- How could your food pantry, shelter, or community space use beauty to say, “You’re worthy of more than scraps”?
Try This:
Grab a $5 bill. Buy something useless: a single rose, a fancy chocolate, a thrift-store painting. Give it to someone with no explanation. Watch their face. That’s the gospel in glitter.
A Prayer to Carry You:
“God, you paint sunsets over landfills and turn scars into stories. Open our eyes to the beauty we’ve labeled ‘waste.’ Help us worship you with color, scent, and reckless joy. Amen.”
Hymn Highlight:
Blast “For the Beauty of the Earth.” The verse “For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child” isn’t just about nature—it’s about us. We’re the art.
Bottom Line:
Judas reduced faith to math: “Perfume = 300 denarii = 300 meals.” Mary knew some things can’t be quantified. A meal feeds the body. Beauty feeds the soul.
This Lent, don’t apologize for craving both. Plant a daffodil in the rubble. Hum off-key in the nursing home. Let your life scream, “God isn’t done making beautiful things yet.”
Copyright notice: Adapted by Travis Wilson from “All We Need: The Basics” © 2024 Barn Geese Worship. Used by permission.