A few Christmases ago my sister gave me a really nice comfortable sweater. I truly like it and wear it on these cool autumn days. Yesterday in one of my morning undergrad classes one of my students made reference to my ugly sweater. I really didn’t take umbrage to his uncouth remark. I like the sweater and that is all that counts. I wouldn’t even mention it now except for what happened last evening at a graduate class. One of the men in the class said, “Wow, nice sweater. Where can I get one? It looks extremely comfortable.” So, if anyone ever wondered about the taste of undergrads now we know. They have none!
Beauty indeed is in the eye of the beholder. If we ever doubt that just get out one of our high school yearbooks and look at our hairstyles. We thought we were looking good. Oh, dear. But, it’s true. Fashion, culture, love or hate very much dictates to us our definition of beauty. Not one of us has the exact same taste. That’s good. If we all had the same taste in spouses only two people could be happily married. The rest of us would have to settle. No one wants to settle. Each of us wants the best. And so wonder of wonder someone out there actually thinks we are looking fine.
God thinks we look fine. First of all, we are made in His image. Secondly, He loves us and tells us to call Him Father. Fathers think their kids are terrific. There is no question that we are the apple of His eye. It’s because He has an amazing ability to see what we will become and that will really be beautiful.
Written by Roger Bothwell on October 15, 2010
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org