The Eye of the Beholder

What has happened to this world's perception of beauty? No longer do we find beauty in an honest day's work. We have become jaded to the sights of mountains, trees, and rainbows. The sound of classical music might annoy us more than it draws us to worship. When we describe a woman as beautiful, how does she look? A size zero body? Tanned? So much makeup that you have no idea what their natural skin tone might be? Hair dyed to within an inch of its life and curled under at the ends? Fingernails filed, shaped, and painted in any imaginable shade? Eyebrows plucked off and redrawn? What are our perceptions of a good-looking guy? Tall, muscled, tanned, dark haired, carefully groomed, manicured fingers, striking eyes?
This definition has been force-fed to us through all types of media - books, magazines, bill boards, TV, movies, songs, etc, etc. Ick!
Do you want to know what real beauty looks like? Let me tell you:

The rough, calloused, dirt-encrusted hands of a carpenter measuring boards and hammering nails; those same hands later blessing and serving food to his family or disciples.
The small feet with a stubbed toe or a splinter, limping to his mother; those same feet, now matured, dusty and hairy, walking the roads of this earth and then the path to the cross.
The messy, crimson blood dripping from his hands, feet, and forehead that fell because of my sin.
The warm brown eyes that could capture a person in a moment forever, and, when bloodshot and full of agony, still managed to look tenderly down at the crowd at his feet; eyes that clearly said "I forgive you."


Oh! To be that beautiful...it's beyond my human imagination. This world has no idea what true beauty is. Let them compete with the picture of my Jesus. To me, the winner is clear.