Beautiful things in an ugly world.

I have been preaching on and thinking about 1 John 2:15-17. John writes about hating the stains of worldliness. The reason behind this necessary hatred of the world (that is, the world system which is stained with sin) is that it is not from God and will not last forever. The things of this world are shadows or fool's gold compared to the splendor and riches of the things of God. In other words, the things of this world are vulgar and cheap, and the things of God are elaborate, eternal, and beautiful.

In a day-to-day attempt to set the compass of my heart toward God, I have tried to seek after what is truly beautiful. I have tried to take into account more of my surroundings, which if you have ever been to the Caribbean, you know are quite beautiful. I have been on a steady music diet of John Coltrane, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Bob Dylan's "Saved" and "A Shot of Love" albums, and ancient hymns remade by modern artists. I have even been reading a large dose of fictional yet substantial stories: The Hobbit (Tolkien), Out of the Silent Planet (Lewis), and Perelandra (Lewis). Listening to, looking at, and doing beautiful things has been a great exercise in spiritual discipline.

How? Well, as we face the daily temptations to settle for the world and the things in it, I find that on my own I cannot fight the battle. However, when I see Jesus as more beautiful and fulfilling, the "things of this world grow strangely dim." Hating this world (the system) is not simply an attitude, but it is a reorientation of our focus to see things as they really are. This happens as we are "transformed by the renewing of our mind" (Romans 12:2).

The great struggle and work we have before us (and Christians everywhere) is not simply to advocate a change in behavior but a change in vision. To proclaim the one, true gospel that man is freed by grace through faith in Christ is to set his mind on beautiful and eternal things above and not things of this fleeting, decaying world. Pray for us as we seek after beautiful things of God in our own lives while holding up Christ as the most elaborate demonstration of God's beautiful grace, mercy, justice, and love to those in Buff Bay that they too may see what is truly beautiful.