“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is a well-known saying that captures something of the way in which there is a unique response by each of us to what we see as beautiful. It has been wonderful to see the reaction of the congregation and many others to the Four Evangelists Mug. An ordinary everyday item can also be something beautiful. Churches over the centuries have tried to be places of beauty which celebrate God’s creation and the gospel story, and the history of western art particularly is incomprehensible without that.
And of course there is natural beauty that takes your breath away whether it is the minute detail of a flower or the wildscape of a mountain range. Being a minister and a people person what moves me often is the beauty of human relations and the courage and commitments that go into shaping our lives. Here are some recent examples:
· So many people at St James working hard and using their diverse gifts and personalities and ideas to make the Mid-summer festival events come together.
· Volunteers in the community being inspired and challenged to sponsor a refugee family to come to East Dunbartonshire.
· A set of grandparents who help daily, often many hours, with their grandchildren, putting much of their own lives on hold.
· A nurse, recently retired, half way through a 12 hour shift cheerfully vaccinating and chatting with me.
· A young dad inspired to run a toddler group with a vision for outdoor activities and community building.
· A young mum with three under 5’s stepping up to coordinate the toddler group when no one else will.
· A wife saying goodbye to her husband of many decades as she buries his ashes.
· A husband tenderly loving and supporting his wife who has dementia and is in a care home.
· A young dad having his children come and say goodnight to me in their pyjamas whilst mum is out with friends during a break in her cancer treatment.
· A schoolgirl singing a solo at a memorial service for her friend who died before her 18th birthday
· People coming forward to receive the Eucharist wearing masks
· The zoom chat before and after a service and the glimpses into folks homes.
· Two of our young people finishing school
· A young girl says yes and becomes the mother of the Saviour of the world.
· A young woman says on live TV ‘You can’t wait for the pain to stop to be happy’.
So…yes, the world is full of beauty and the glory of God in the face of people, even in sad and tragic situations, or perhaps especially so.
As Christians we have a wonderful story to tell and can talk about beauty and wonder in a rich and full way.
What beauty does your eye see?
Rev. Paul Watson
