Infinitum Advent Behold Beauty, Week 1Sample

The incarnation of beauty Himself was coming into the world. The Creator of all things beautiful was appearing in the flesh. And yet—“the world did not recognize Him?” How is this possible?

Perhaps the world was unable to recognize Jesus because He came so differently than how they expected a Messiah to appear.

Instead of coming with a rolled-out red carpet, He was announced to lowly shepherds.
Instead of coming like a mighty Hercules, He came as a helpless human infant.
Instead of coming with an army of warriors, He came with a herald of singing angels.

Like the expectations of who Jesus was supposed to be, we often have certain expectations and preconceived notions about what beauty is. But our ability to perceive beauty depends greatly on our approach.

John O’Donohue articulates this process so well in his book Beauty: The Invisible Embrace:

“When we approach with reverence, great things decide to approach us. Our reallife comes to the surface and its light awakens the concealed beauty in things. When we walk on the earth with reverence, beauty will decide to trust us. The rushed heart and arrogant mind lack the gentleness and patience to enter that embrace.”― John O'Donohue, Beauty: The Invisible Embrace

When we live with a “rushed heart and arrogant mind,” we have a hard time entering beauty’s embrace. We are often in such a hurry we can’t slow down enough to behold her. Or have certain expectations of what she ought to be. In this sense, we try to control beauty to become what we want her to be.

We often expect beauty to show up like vibrant, radiating stars or colorful sunsets bursting with reds and gold. And sometimes she does. But sometimes beauty shows up in our midst in very ordinary, everyday moments. And she asks us to behold her there.

In the simple invitation from a child to play.
In the kind smile of a stranger.
In the forgiving word of a friend.

Beholding beauty requires surrender. We can receive Jesus, the beautiful One, when we let go of our expectations, control, and agenda of what He will look like and how He will appear in our midst.

This week, we will practice surrender by approaching the world with reverence, openness, and curiosity so that we might perceive the beauty of God revealed in ordinary, tangible expressions all around us.

What might it look like to “walk the earth with reverence” this week in order to perceive God’s presence revealed in beauty?