“God speaks to us through beauty. But in order to hear the words, we must slow down and listen through our hearts.”- Timothy D. Willard
In his Introduction (“A Note for the Curious”) to The Beauty Chasers: Recapturing the Wonder of the Divine, Timothy D. Willard stresses that it’s possible for beauty to change you. If you let it. But you must pursue a lifestyle that runs counter to the cultural grain of busyness and loudness.
Therefore, Beauty Chasers, as thinkers and listeners:
- see when the world goes blind
- embody quietness when all the world desires to scream
- promote the good of others when the world says to promote yourself
- live their lives to a different cadence; walk the path less traveled
Moving on to Chapter 1 (“The Window: A Secret Passageway to a Place Called Love”). Mr. Willard underscores that when we strip life down to the bare necessities, the things that matter most remain. And beauty belongs to all these things.
In addition, beauty reminds and inspires. Blindness fails to thwart beauty. Because each person possesses a deeper sight of the heart. And when we view beauty as a gift, Timothy observes, it shapes the giver with humility. At the same time, beauty infuses the willing recipient with joy.
Furthermore, as Frederick Buechner notes, each day provides another opportunity to hear what God is saying. Not just to the world at large, but to you personally. Hence, Timothy sees living as a kind of active language. As a result, if we fail to pay attention, we miss the meaning.
In conclusion, C. S. Lewis used the word love to communicate an accurate biblical understanding of the term beauty. Thus, Lewis described beauty as a starting point for something far beyond mere aesthetic pleasure. So, we look beyond the beauty of the ‘dappled dawn drawn falcon’. Above all, we feel the wedge of love when we witness the falcon in flight.
Today’s question: How do you respond to the author’s statement that God speaks to us through beauty? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “A staging point for something grander”
