BEAUTY IN HEART

I’m often impressed and content when I see all the pictures of my photo album assembled perfectly to a color background, or on motif paper. The enhancement on the scrapbook makes them stand out beautifully. The right pieces: paper, colors or patterns on each design only perfects the projection of a message on each picture.

In many ways, like the scrapbook pieces, God has given us many parts with which we reflect ourselves to others. For instance, we have the hands to eat with, our ears to listen to, and feet to walk with. Each member has its own function and they enhance our personality; but they are all part of one body or one picture, that is, self. Much like the scrapbook we try to beautify each part so that the whole body may be appealing to those who see it. In some ways we scrap our body by using modern techniques, for example, some may use surgery to get rid of excess fat in the body, facial reconstruction, creams, exercise, diets, etc. There are many methods used in the world to make people look and feel beautiful, so that the picture of self will be more appealing, or healthier in our scrapbook-life. What about the heart? Jesus said:

“What comes out of a man is what makes him unclean. For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean.” Mark 7:20-23 NIV

“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”1 Samuel 16:7 NIV

When we look in a mirror we see a poor reflection of ourselves, because we don’t see the whole picture of who we are. And even if the appearance of a person is improved with things the world offers, the whole picture is not yet revealed. On Judgment Day we will see face to face and “…know fully even as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians. 13:12 NIV) Let us begin to be known by the acting in accordance to the fruit of the Spirit, which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22 NIV) May the picture we project to the world be always enhanced by the beauty that is within our hearts and not by what others think of us; so that the pages of our scrapbook (life) be portrayed with a message of love and not worldliness.